Good evening, and
welcome to "A Sharper Focus."
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My name is Jill
Morikone, and we are so glad
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that you have
joined us this evening.
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And we're so glad
for our church family,
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who is out tonight.
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It's such a privilege
to open up the word of God.
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I don't know what
your week was like.
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I don't know what your
week was like at your home.
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Maybe it was a great
week and you feel like,
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"Wow, I just got a
promotion at work."
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Don't we kind of wish that?
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Maybe it was I just got married
or I just had a grandbaby.
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Maybe it was a tough week.
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And you think, I
just lost my job.
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I just lay to rest
someone that I love.
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Maybe it's something like that.
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Maybe it's a mediocre week.
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One of those
regular, busy weeks.
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No matter what your
week is like at home,
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know that right
now for the next hour,
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we're gonna spend
time in the word of God.
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God's word never returns void.
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And when we open it up,
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He wants to come in to speak
to our hearts and to our lives.
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We want to remind you
the website our Sharper Focus
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is ASF.3ABN.org.
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That's ASF.3ABN.org.
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You can always find
study guides on that,
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you can find videos
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and all kinds of
wonderful Bible study materials
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that would be help
in your spiritual walk.
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So we want to encourage
you to go there as well.
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Before we open up God's word,
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let's go to the Lord
in prayer this evening.
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Father, we come before You
right now in the name of Jesus
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and we thank
You... that You are God,
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that You are on the throne
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and that no matter
what we're going through,
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we can come to You.
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And we can ask
for Your anointing,
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for Your
forgiveness, for Your spirit,
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for Your peace.
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Right now we pray that
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You would open up
our minds and hearts
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that we could hear
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what You have
for us in Your word.
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And we thank You
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in the precious
and holy name of Jesus.
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Amen.
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As we start this
evening, I want to encourage you
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to open up your
Bibles to the Book of Luke.
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Luke Chapter 8, we're gonna
look at several verses here.
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Luke Chapter 8, we're gonna
look at one of Jesus' parables.
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I like the Jesus
book in parables.
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When he spoke, he used
everyday ordinary experiences,
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objects,
illustrations that it's easy
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for my mind to understand.
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And he connected them
with the spiritual insight.
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We're in Luke Chapter 8,
this is a parable of the sower.
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Verse 4.
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If you have your Bible at
home, open up and read with us.
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Luke 8:4, "And when a
great multitude had gathered,
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and they had come
to Him from every city,
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He spoke by a parable.
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A sower went
out to sow his seed.
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And as he sowed,
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some fell by the wayside
and it was trampled down,
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and the birds of
the air devoured it.
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Some fell on rock and
as soon as it sprang up,
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it withered away
because it lacked moisture.
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And some fell among thorns,
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and the thorns sprang
up with it and choked it.
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Verse 8, "But
others fell on good ground,
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sprang up, and
yielded a crop a hundredfold.
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When He had said
these things He cried,
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He who has ears let him hear."
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Jesus told a story, right?
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About the sower
who went out to sow.
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Now, in today society, we
have modern farming machinery.
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And my husband Greg,
kind of likes farming
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and he always says, we
have a little tractor at home,
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but he says "I wish I had
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one of those
great big", you know,
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John Deere things and we could
do a combine and we could...
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It's automated now, right?
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When they do farming
it's automated and they know,
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putting this much
fertilizer, do this and that,
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they know all about that.
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But back in Bible times,
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it was pretty
old fashioned, right?
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They dug in, had
a handful of seed,
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I have some seed here.
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This is corn.
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Actually corn from the
field behind our house.
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One year is corn, the
next year is soybeans.
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In Southern Illinois,
we just rotate two crops,
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it seems like corn one
year, soybeans the next.
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This corn here is
from an year from our,
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the field out behind our house.
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And I just
imagine, he took the corn,
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maybe he planted
barley, we don't know.
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Tossed it, the sower went
out and he tossed that corn.
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And then there are
different types of ground.
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Remember in the parable.
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Different types of ground.
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We're only looking at,
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actually the
first type of ground.
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Tonight, we're gonna
look at just the first type.
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But I just want to
jump over to verse 11.
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Jump just a couple of
verses down to verse 11,
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the parable of the
sower is explained.
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It says, "Now
the parable is this:
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The seed is the word of God."
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So you and I think,
we're planting corn, right?
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Or I'm planting green beans.
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Now, if I plant this the
corn, what's gonna come up?
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Corn.
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Am I gonna get raspberries?
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No.
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Am I gonna get green beans?
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No, why's that?
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That's not what it
is, Marline has said
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that's not what it is because
the potential of the harvest
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is wrapped right
here in the seed.
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The parable is this,
the seed is the word of God,
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so the potential of you and
me is wrapped right in here,
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the word of God.
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God says, I want
to plant My word,
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deep inside your heart, Korbana.
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I want to plant my
word deep inside your heart.
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I want to plant my word
inside your heart at home
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'cause as I want to plant it in.
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Sometimes we resist the
planting of God in our hearts.
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That's the first hindrance.
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Tonight, we're gonna look
at, if you're taking notes,
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three hindrances to God
planting His word in our heart.
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Three hindrances to Him
planting His word in our heart.
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And we find them all,
right here at the beginning.
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Verse 5, "A sower
went out to sow his seed.
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As he sowed, some
fell by the wayside."
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Now, New
Testament's written in Greek
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and the Greek word
for wayside is hodos,
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which means a road.
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Some of the seed
fell on the road.
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Now, I don't know about you
but most roads are fairly hard.
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Would you say roads are hard?
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You could have asphalt,
you could have maybe gravel,
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our road is gravel
but that's still hard.
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Stones are hard, you
could even have dirt.
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And what would happen with dirt?
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It rains, it packs down,
it dries out and what happens?
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It's hard.
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Most things are hard.
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Most roads are hard.
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So as the seed is planted,
some fell by the wayside.
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Some fell on the road.
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And it didn't penetrate, right?
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'Cause the road is hard.
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Is your heart ever resistant
to God planting His word in it?
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Is your heart ever resistant
to the work of the Holy Spirit?
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When my husband Greg
and I were first married,
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this is probably our
first year of marriage.
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We had a fairly
large disagreement.
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And those you who are married
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and those you who
are married at home,
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you know, if you're
married any length of time,
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you have some sort of,
sometimes disagreements.
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And as we had our disagreement,
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I can't tell you to
this day what it was about.
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All I know is this, I was right.
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I was right.
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And the Lord needed
to show him something.
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And so I remember
God impressing my heart
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and saying Jill,
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ask forgiveness of your husband.
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And I said no, I'm
not going to do that God
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because it's not my fault.
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I was right.
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And so, God said, okay,
and then my husband Greg said
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"Jilly, let's pray."
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And I said no, I don't
want to pray 'cause if I pray,
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God's going to
say you must forgive.
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And I didn't want to forgive.
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What was my heart?
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Resistant, it was hard,
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it was resistant to
the work of God in it.
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I was hard to the seed.
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But I knew that I
should pray, right?
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Sometimes you
know you ought to do it
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even if you don't feel like it.
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And so I said,
"Okay, we will pray."
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But God, I hope he goes first.
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'Cause I wanted him to
be the first and he did.
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Praise the Lord, we
knelt down by our little couch
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and we prayed,
and I'll never forget.
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It's been little probably
13 years since this happened.
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I never forget what he said.
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He said, "God, forgive me
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for not being the
husband to Jill that I should."
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As soon as he said that...
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God, what did He do?
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He worked in my hard heart.
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He worked in
that resistant heart
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and He began to soften it.
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God wants to do that.
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What if your
heart is hard tonight?
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God says, I can soften it.
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Turn with me to Hosea.
00:10:18.35\00:10:20.05
Hosea Chapter 10,
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we gonna look at verse 12.
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Hosea, Jeremiah,
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea.
00:10:27.22\00:10:30.99
One of those minor prophets.
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Hosea 10:12...
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I like this verse.
00:10:38.83\00:10:40.94
Everybody found it?
00:10:40.97\00:10:42.30
Hosea 10, it's a
hard book to find.
00:10:42.34\00:10:44.54
Hosea 10:12,
00:10:44.57\00:10:48.58
"Sow for
yourselves righteousness,
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reaped in mercy,
break up your fallow ground,
00:10:52.68\00:10:56.92
it is time to seek the Lord,
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till he comes and
rain righteousness on you."
00:10:59.62\00:11:04.59
You know what that tells me?
00:11:04.63\00:11:05.96
God knows that your and
my heart is hard sometimes.
00:11:05.99\00:11:09.10
He knows that
that ground is hard
00:11:09.13\00:11:11.40
and He wants to break it up.
00:11:11.43\00:11:13.97
Now if you garden, how
do you break up hard soil?
00:11:14.00\00:11:19.04
You till it,
that's right you till it.
00:11:19.07\00:11:20.84
Anything else that
breaks up hard soil.
00:11:20.88\00:11:25.55
Rain helps.
00:11:25.58\00:11:27.65
Now not a gullywasher,
00:11:27.68\00:11:29.02
we're not talking if
the ground's really hard
00:11:29.05\00:11:30.65
and it pours the
rain, what happens?
00:11:30.69\00:11:33.46
It runs off.
00:11:33.49\00:11:35.26
But if you get a
gentle, soaking rain,
00:11:35.29\00:11:40.90
it starts to soften.
00:11:40.93\00:11:42.90
If you get your tiller out,
00:11:42.93\00:11:44.27
if you get your rototiller
out at the right time,
00:11:44.30\00:11:48.30
and till up that
hard soil what happens?
00:11:48.34\00:11:52.01
It becomes workable.
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You could actually
plant the seed in it.
00:11:53.64\00:11:56.34
It becomes workable.
00:11:56.38\00:11:58.91
Jump over with me to Ephesians.
00:11:58.95\00:12:01.95
Ephesians Chapter 5...
00:12:01.98\00:12:06.52
We're gonna look at verse 26.
00:12:06.55\00:12:11.13
Now this is in the middle
of the section of Paul or God
00:12:11.16\00:12:14.96
through Paul talking to
us about husbands and wives
00:12:15.00\00:12:17.63
and all of that stuff.
00:12:17.67\00:12:19.00
But I think it
applies, if we're young,
00:12:19.03\00:12:21.77
if we're old, married, unmarried
00:12:21.80\00:12:24.04
whatever state
we're in, it applies.
00:12:24.07\00:12:28.61
It says verse
26, He meaning God,
00:12:28.64\00:12:31.55
might sanctify and cleanse her
00:12:31.58\00:12:33.92
with the washing
of water by the word.
00:12:33.95\00:12:37.92
You know, it's
gonna start the rain.
00:12:37.95\00:12:40.29
The gentle rain
falling down on our hearts,
00:12:40.32\00:12:43.32
on that hard soil in
our lives, the word of God.
00:12:43.36\00:12:47.46
Get into the word of God.
00:12:47.50\00:12:49.30
If you feel when you
wake up in the morning
00:12:49.33\00:12:52.00
and your heart feels
hard, you feel unforgiveness,
00:12:52.03\00:12:54.84
you feel
bitterness, you feel jealousies,
00:12:54.87\00:12:57.07
you feel all that
type of stuff God says,
00:12:57.11\00:12:59.81
get in to the word
'cause you know what happens?
00:12:59.84\00:13:03.11
It's gonna soften.
00:13:03.14\00:13:04.58
It's gonna
soften our hard heart.
00:13:04.61\00:13:07.25
He wants to break it up
with his rototiller, you know,
00:13:07.28\00:13:10.42
and He wants to
pour out His spirit,
00:13:10.45\00:13:14.62
open up His word to us
so that our heart softens.
00:13:14.66\00:13:18.56
So the first
hindrance to God planting
00:13:18.59\00:13:22.13
His word in our heart
is the resistant heart.
00:13:22.16\00:13:25.10
The second hindrance
is the trampled heart.
00:13:25.13\00:13:30.41
Jump back to Luke.
00:13:30.44\00:13:31.94
We just want to read that there
00:13:31.97\00:13:33.31
and then we go
on Luke Chapter...
00:13:33.34\00:13:35.81
8, back to the
parable where we were.
00:13:40.95\00:13:43.62
In fact, we could
leave a marker there,
00:13:43.65\00:13:45.45
so you can easily jump
back to Luke Chapter 8.
00:13:45.49\00:13:48.16
Luke 8:5 again.
00:13:48.19\00:13:51.73
"The sower sowed the seed,
some fell by the wayside..."
00:13:51.76\00:13:54.60
That's the road,
that's the resistant heart,
00:13:54.63\00:13:56.70
that's number one.
00:13:56.73\00:13:58.40
Here's number two, and it was...
00:13:58.43\00:14:00.50
What's that word?
My Bible says tramped.
00:14:00.54\00:14:02.60
That's right Yannick.
00:14:02.64\00:14:03.97
Trampled, it was trampled down.
00:14:04.01\00:14:09.74
Have you ever felt trampled?
00:14:09.78\00:14:11.85
Saints pretty good at that.
00:14:15.28\00:14:17.09
Would you say that's true?
00:14:17.12\00:14:19.42
I think there's several
ways that we could be trampled.
00:14:19.45\00:14:23.36
The first is by
confusing the character of God.
00:14:23.39\00:14:28.20
On Monday night,
several of my sisters
00:14:28.23\00:14:30.43
here at the Bible study go
to the jail on Monday nights.
00:14:30.47\00:14:35.20
We go different Monday nights.
00:14:35.24\00:14:36.91
We have a rotating schedule
00:14:36.94\00:14:38.44
and we go once a
month individually,
00:14:38.47\00:14:40.64
but every Monday night,
one of the women from jail,
00:14:40.68\00:14:43.85
several of the
women from jail...
00:14:43.88\00:14:47.18
I'm sorry several of the
women from church go to jail.
00:14:47.22\00:14:50.85
Every Monday night,
00:14:50.89\00:14:52.22
several of the women
from church here go to jail
00:14:52.25\00:14:53.99
and minister to the women there.
00:14:54.02\00:14:55.46
This particular Monday
night was my turn to go,
00:14:55.49\00:14:58.19
and I was there with some
of my sisters from church.
00:14:58.23\00:15:01.06
We all, we start
with prayer request.
00:15:01.10\00:15:04.17
And so we're
going around the room
00:15:04.20\00:15:05.70
and as we went around the room,
00:15:05.73\00:15:07.77
I noticed a woman there
that I had not seen before.
00:15:07.80\00:15:12.37
Now in jail, we
have a lot of locks.
00:15:12.41\00:15:14.88
We have women that come
in just for a couple of days
00:15:14.91\00:15:17.25
and they bond
out and they get out.
00:15:17.28\00:15:19.61
We have women who
come in for a little while,
00:15:19.65\00:15:22.35
they go to prison.
00:15:22.38\00:15:24.55
We have other women
who are in for few months
00:15:24.59\00:15:27.16
and then maybe get out.
00:15:27.19\00:15:28.52
So there's always change
when we go on Monday nights.
00:15:28.56\00:15:32.46
This particular Monday night,
00:15:32.49\00:15:33.83
there was a new girl
and I didn't recognized her
00:15:33.86\00:15:35.70
and so I said
to her, I said "Oh,
00:15:35.73\00:15:37.77
I haven't seen you before,
so glad you're here tonight."
00:15:37.80\00:15:41.40
She said "Oh, my name
Sara." Now, that's not her name.
00:15:41.44\00:15:44.47
And if that's your name at home,
00:15:44.51\00:15:45.97
we're not saying
that this applies to you.
00:15:46.01\00:15:47.84
But she said "My name Sara."
00:15:47.88\00:15:52.15
I've never come
before to the study.
00:15:52.18\00:15:54.18
I don't have any use for God."
00:15:54.22\00:15:56.62
And her vehements
really startled me.
00:15:56.65\00:15:58.92
And I thought, wow,
00:15:58.95\00:16:02.02
how has Satan
trampled on her heart
00:16:02.06\00:16:04.66
to cause that pain.
00:16:04.69\00:16:06.36
There was something in the past
00:16:06.39\00:16:09.50
that lead to that
pain in the present.
00:16:09.53\00:16:13.60
Satan was doing some trampling,
00:16:13.64\00:16:14.97
but what was
going on, I didn't know.
00:16:15.00\00:16:17.57
We stood for prayer
and we always hold hands
00:16:17.61\00:16:21.14
in a circle and pray.
00:16:21.18\00:16:23.55
And Sara was right
here on this side of me
00:16:23.58\00:16:25.71
and I held her hand
00:16:25.75\00:16:27.08
and my sister
from church prayed.
00:16:27.12\00:16:29.22
So as she prayed,
I said my own prayer,
00:16:29.25\00:16:31.29
God, I don't know
what's going on with Sara,
00:16:31.32\00:16:34.22
please show us
the key to her heart.
00:16:34.26\00:16:38.36
We said amen, we
started the study,
00:16:38.39\00:16:40.16
it was on
bitterness and jealousy
00:16:40.20\00:16:42.60
and unforgiveness
and all of that stuff
00:16:42.63\00:16:44.77
and as the women were
talking, I was going along,
00:16:44.80\00:16:48.17
Sara was very quiet
and very hard in her heart.
00:16:48.20\00:16:53.04
All of a sudden,
00:16:53.07\00:16:54.58
one of the women
raised her hand and she said,
00:16:54.61\00:16:56.95
you all know I have cancer.
00:16:56.98\00:16:59.11
She said, I believe I got cancer
00:16:59.15\00:17:00.72
because I held on to
unforgiveness in my heart,
00:17:00.75\00:17:05.95
and instantly I thought, yes,
00:17:05.99\00:17:10.43
our emotions
impact our physical life.
00:17:10.46\00:17:13.56
I mean that does
happen, but at the same time
00:17:13.60\00:17:17.20
we live in a world of sin,
00:17:17.23\00:17:19.30
we live in a world of
sickness and suffering
00:17:19.33\00:17:22.50
and many times we get sick
through no fault of anyone,
00:17:22.54\00:17:27.41
just because of the
world of sin we live in.
00:17:27.44\00:17:30.18
And I didn't want the girls
00:17:30.21\00:17:31.55
to get like a
wrong picture of God,
00:17:31.58\00:17:33.62
and I was trying
to think what do I say
00:17:33.65\00:17:35.38
and all of a sudden
Sara spoke, and she said,
00:17:35.42\00:17:39.82
"What type of
resentment does a kid have,
00:17:39.85\00:17:43.66
that will cause
him to get cancer?"
00:17:43.69\00:17:46.93
And I was really surprised,
00:17:46.96\00:17:48.30
and I open my mouth
to start to say something
00:17:48.33\00:17:50.90
and all of a sudden
she lashed out again.
00:17:50.93\00:17:53.90
She said, "My eight
year old son died of cancer."
00:17:53.94\00:17:59.91
Sure, he had normal
childhood squabbles,
00:17:59.94\00:18:01.94
but you cannot tell me
that it was his fault."
00:18:01.98\00:18:06.18
And I said, "Oh, Sara
I'm so sorry he died."
00:18:06.21\00:18:09.25
Of course, it wasn't his
fault, it wasn't his fault.
00:18:09.28\00:18:14.42
I said, "Tell
me, do you believe,
00:18:14.46\00:18:16.52
God caused his cancer."
00:18:16.56\00:18:19.23
And she said, "No,
00:18:19.26\00:18:21.26
but I believe He could
have stopped it and He didn't.
00:18:21.30\00:18:25.73
I don't have any use for God."
00:18:25.77\00:18:28.30
And so we started to
talk about this thing
00:18:28.34\00:18:30.77
called the great controversy.
00:18:30.81\00:18:32.94
How God has to allow
the outworking of sin.
00:18:32.97\00:18:38.38
He has to allow it
to ripen and bear fruit
00:18:38.41\00:18:40.52
we could almost say in order
for us to see the effect of sin
00:18:40.55\00:18:46.09
and what Satan really
wants to do in this world.
00:18:46.12\00:18:50.93
I think if we
truly understand God,
00:18:50.96\00:18:53.56
it alters how we look at
life, it alters how we look at
00:18:53.60\00:18:57.93
pain and suffering and
the things in this life.
00:18:57.97\00:19:01.84
If we truly understand
who he is, it alters that.
00:19:01.87\00:19:07.21
And we find out who he
is, in the word of God.
00:19:07.24\00:19:12.11
Satan tramples
on us by confusing
00:19:12.15\00:19:14.48
the character of God.
00:19:14.52\00:19:15.98
Maybe you've
heard one of these lies.
00:19:16.02\00:19:18.95
God causes the sin, misery
and destruction in this world.
00:19:18.99\00:19:24.49
Instantly we
could claim John 10:10,
00:19:24.53\00:19:27.40
Satan comes to
steal, kill and destroy.
00:19:27.43\00:19:30.87
Jesus says, "I have
come that you would have life
00:19:30.90\00:19:35.17
and have it more abundantly."
00:19:35.20\00:19:38.97
Satan says, God can't
love you, you've gone too far,
00:19:39.01\00:19:43.35
you've been too bad,
you've done too much,
00:19:43.38\00:19:48.32
God can't love you.
00:19:48.35\00:19:51.09
If that's what he's
telling you tonight,
00:19:51.12\00:19:52.89
I want you to
turn with me to Romans.
00:19:52.92\00:19:54.79
Romans Chapter 5,
00:19:54.82\00:19:56.29
let's turn there
to Romans Chapter 5.
00:19:56.32\00:19:58.66
Romans 5:8,
00:20:04.30\00:20:09.07
"God demonstrates
His own love toward us
00:20:09.10\00:20:12.51
and that while we
were still sinners,
00:20:12.54\00:20:15.78
God Christ died for us."
00:20:15.81\00:20:20.22
He loves us so much that
when we were his enemies,
00:20:20.25\00:20:22.62
when we were against
Him, when we spit in His face,
00:20:22.65\00:20:25.52
when we pushed Him
away, what did He say?
00:20:25.55\00:20:28.99
I love you.
00:20:29.02\00:20:30.66
I want to give
my Son, I love you.
00:20:30.69\00:20:34.90
John 16:27...
00:20:34.93\00:20:40.84
I like this one too especially
00:20:40.87\00:20:43.77
sometimes Satan
confuses the character of God
00:20:43.81\00:20:46.31
by simply saying
God is harsh and mean.
00:20:46.34\00:20:50.88
Jesus on the other
hand is loving and good.
00:20:50.91\00:20:55.65
But God is harsh and mean.
00:20:55.68\00:20:58.09
But the God in the Old Testament
00:20:58.12\00:21:00.79
is the same as Jesus
in the New Testament.
00:21:00.82\00:21:04.43
He says, "I'm same
yesterday, today and forever."
00:21:04.46\00:21:07.23
John 16:27...
00:21:07.26\00:21:13.40
He says, "For the
Father Himself loves you
00:21:13.44\00:21:18.27
because you have loved me,
00:21:18.31\00:21:19.64
and have believed that
I came forth from God."
00:21:19.67\00:21:21.71
The Father Himself loves you.
00:21:21.74\00:21:23.81
So if Satan's
telling you a lie tonight,
00:21:23.85\00:21:25.45
him saying God can't
love you, He doesn't love you.
00:21:25.48\00:21:29.35
The word of God says the
Father Himself loves you.
00:21:29.38\00:21:35.49
What about this one?
00:21:35.52\00:21:37.36
Satan says, God wants
to keep you in bondage.
00:21:37.39\00:21:39.89
I think especially young people,
00:21:39.93\00:21:41.86
Satan gives that lie.
00:21:41.90\00:21:44.80
Well, if you follow the
rules that mom and dad have,
00:21:44.83\00:21:48.67
if you follow the rules that
the teacher wants at school,
00:21:48.70\00:21:51.71
if you follow the rules
that you are supposed to do,
00:21:51.74\00:21:54.64
you gonna be in
bondage, you know that?
00:21:54.68\00:21:56.58
You not gonna be very happy,
00:21:56.61\00:21:58.45
you gonna be in this
little straight-laced jacket
00:21:58.48\00:22:01.68
and you're not gonna
feel very good, right?
00:22:01.72\00:22:04.15
That's a lie from the Satan.
00:22:04.19\00:22:05.75
He says God wants
to keep you in bondage.
00:22:05.79\00:22:08.79
We're still in John,
00:22:08.82\00:22:10.16
just jump back
to John Chapter 8.
00:22:10.19\00:22:13.80
John 8:36...
00:22:13.83\00:22:18.20
Jesus speaking, "If
the Son makes you free..."
00:22:21.94\00:22:26.81
Let's read it together.
00:22:26.84\00:22:28.24
"You shall be free indeed."
00:22:28.28\00:22:32.15
You shall be free
indeed, if Jesus sets us free,
00:22:32.18\00:22:36.15
we're free indeed.
00:22:36.18\00:22:40.56
Satan tramples on us...
00:22:40.59\00:22:43.93
Maybe it's here and he
comes and tramples by confusing
00:22:43.96\00:22:46.39
the character of God.
00:22:46.43\00:22:48.23
Another of the ways
that he tramples on us
00:22:48.26\00:22:50.70
is through abuse.
00:22:50.73\00:22:53.84
Pain, neglect...
00:22:53.87\00:22:58.21
I was scrubbing
dishes, at our kitchen sink
00:22:58.24\00:23:01.84
there's a window above the sink,
00:23:01.88\00:23:03.68
and I can look out
which is I love that,
00:23:03.71\00:23:06.08
and look out
while I'm doing dishes.
00:23:06.11\00:23:08.32
And all of a sudden,
00:23:08.35\00:23:09.68
I heard a high pitched scream...
00:23:09.72\00:23:13.19
but we live in the county,
so I though who's screaming.
00:23:13.22\00:23:16.66
I mean, our nearest neighbors
are Pam and Dave Torre,
00:23:16.69\00:23:19.16
and they are little ways away.
00:23:19.19\00:23:21.13
So, who would be
screaming and I...
00:23:21.16\00:23:23.60
you know, I
never hear them scream,
00:23:23.63\00:23:25.07
so what's that noise,
00:23:25.10\00:23:26.43
but it sound a certain like
a baby crying but I didn't know
00:23:26.47\00:23:29.90
what was going
on and so I listen
00:23:29.94\00:23:32.34
and that scream came again
00:23:32.37\00:23:34.34
and so then all of a
sudden I ran to the front door
00:23:34.38\00:23:36.81
and I throw it
open and looked out.
00:23:36.85\00:23:40.12
And there was our cat.
00:23:40.15\00:23:42.28
Our darling
kittling cat Pebbles,
00:23:42.32\00:23:45.52
was something brown
and furry in her mouth.
00:23:45.55\00:23:49.96
Can anybody guess what it was?
00:23:49.99\00:23:52.53
It was bunny, you're right dear.
00:23:52.56\00:23:53.90
It was a bunny.
00:23:53.93\00:23:55.80
She had it right here
00:23:55.83\00:23:57.30
and she's going
like this, right?
00:23:57.33\00:23:59.70
Shaking her head
from side to side
00:23:59.73\00:24:01.20
and instantly I said
"Pebbles, stop that!"
00:24:01.24\00:24:04.37
And I ran down the steps
and she amazingly dropped it
00:24:04.41\00:24:09.28
'cause usually she doesn't
obey anything else we tell her.
00:24:09.31\00:24:12.45
But this time she
dropped it and so I went over,
00:24:12.48\00:24:17.89
she wandered off,
she wasn't hungry,
00:24:17.92\00:24:19.75
we feed her everyday,
00:24:19.79\00:24:21.12
it was just the
thrill of the chase,
00:24:21.16\00:24:22.69
you know for a cat.
00:24:22.72\00:24:24.13
So I went over to the bunny
and it was lying on its side,
00:24:24.16\00:24:29.30
its little sides
even and I though,
00:24:29.33\00:24:33.70
I'm so sorry you got hurt
and so I went closer to it
00:24:33.74\00:24:38.77
but I scared it, right?
00:24:38.81\00:24:40.28
Because it didn't know that
I wasn't gonna hurt it again.
00:24:40.31\00:24:43.75
And so it tried to run.
00:24:43.78\00:24:47.28
Its back legs didn't work.
00:24:47.32\00:24:51.22
They had been, I don't know
00:24:51.25\00:24:52.85
if they've been
snapped in the shaking
00:24:52.89\00:24:54.62
or something happened to it.
00:24:54.66\00:24:56.96
And the back legs wouldn't work
00:24:56.99\00:24:58.59
and so it picked up
its front and it dragged
00:24:58.63\00:25:02.96
its hind quarters to
the shade of my lilies.
00:25:03.00\00:25:06.13
And I didn't follow it
00:25:06.17\00:25:07.50
'cause I thought I'm
gonna traumatize it further.
00:25:07.54\00:25:09.97
And so I sat down and
I don't know what to do.
00:25:10.01\00:25:15.08
And so I
prayed, and I said, God,
00:25:15.11\00:25:18.68
I don't know what to
do with this little bunny.
00:25:18.71\00:25:21.38
Tears falling on my jeans
00:25:21.42\00:25:23.18
just watching
it still side even.
00:25:23.22\00:25:27.09
Pretty soon the
front legs stopped kicking,
00:25:27.12\00:25:30.86
few more breaths,
then I had another thought,
00:25:30.89\00:25:34.40
you could put it
out of its misery
00:25:34.43\00:25:35.86
and I thought I
could never do that.
00:25:35.90\00:25:38.17
So I just prayed some
more and just a few seconds
00:25:38.20\00:25:41.07
I'm making his
him like a long run,
00:25:41.10\00:25:42.67
it was really just a few seconds
00:25:42.70\00:25:45.47
and it stopped.
00:25:45.51\00:25:48.28
And so then as I sat there,
00:25:48.31\00:25:50.91
in the grass
looking at the little bunny,
00:25:50.95\00:25:53.78
whom my cat had just killed.
00:25:53.82\00:25:56.38
Here comes my kitty cat,
00:25:56.42\00:25:58.05
up rubbing her
face against my knee
00:25:58.09\00:26:02.42
and at first I wanted
to be mad at her right?
00:26:02.46\00:26:05.06
Why did you hurt that bunny?
00:26:05.09\00:26:06.90
You got cat food in the garage.
00:26:06.93\00:26:08.56
Why do you
think you have to hurt
00:26:08.60\00:26:10.67
one of God's creatures.
00:26:10.70\00:26:12.53
And it was a baby bunny
at there, a little thing.
00:26:12.57\00:26:16.57
Why do you have to hurt it?
00:26:16.60\00:26:18.67
And then I thought it
was instinctual, right?
00:26:18.71\00:26:22.68
It was part of her nature,
00:26:22.71\00:26:25.05
she had been trained
to kill since kittenhood.
00:26:25.08\00:26:30.09
And so I petted her,
00:26:30.12\00:26:32.29
well, my heart hurt
for that little bunny.
00:26:32.32\00:26:35.06
And all of a
sudden God spoke to me
00:26:35.09\00:26:37.83
and He said that's
exactly how I feel,
00:26:37.86\00:26:41.80
when my
children hurt each other.
00:26:41.83\00:26:45.87
I love them both...
00:26:45.90\00:26:48.10
the gossiper and
the one gossiped about.
00:26:48.14\00:26:52.57
I love the murderer
and the one who's murdered.
00:26:52.61\00:26:58.01
This one's heavy.
00:26:58.05\00:26:59.38
I love the child molester
00:26:59.41\00:27:02.35
and the one who is molested.
00:27:02.38\00:27:06.29
And I just thought God
how's that even possible?
00:27:06.32\00:27:10.03
But he wasn't done,
00:27:10.06\00:27:11.66
he said that's
how I love you Jill.
00:27:11.69\00:27:14.90
Even when you disobey,
00:27:14.93\00:27:16.67
even when you turn and
walk outside of my will.
00:27:16.70\00:27:23.07
Since I have forgiven you,
do you think you could forgive
00:27:23.10\00:27:29.51
your brothers and sisters?
00:27:29.54\00:27:32.68
I don't know what
hurt and pain is bottled up
00:27:32.71\00:27:35.02
in your heart right now.
00:27:35.05\00:27:37.19
Maybe someone lied
about you or belittled you
00:27:37.22\00:27:40.52
or someone's actually
hurt you or abused you.
00:27:40.56\00:27:43.79
Forgiveness does not mean
00:27:43.83\00:27:45.16
that what the
person did to us was right,
00:27:45.19\00:27:48.56
it doesn't meant that at all.
00:27:48.60\00:27:50.27
It simply frees us,
00:27:50.30\00:27:52.43
you and I from constantly
being damaged by that person.
00:27:52.47\00:27:59.27
When we hold on to pain
and bitterness what happens?
00:27:59.31\00:28:01.54
It only punishes us.
00:28:01.58\00:28:04.28
Forgiveness allows God
to open up our hearts again
00:28:04.31\00:28:08.58
to receive His
love and His forgiveness
00:28:08.62\00:28:11.55
and His purity.
00:28:11.59\00:28:13.72
I wanted look at
four keys to forgiveness,
00:28:13.76\00:28:17.93
four steps to forgiveness.
00:28:17.96\00:28:20.03
And as we do this,
00:28:20.06\00:28:21.93
let's go to
Colossians Chapter 3,
00:28:21.96\00:28:25.77
as a springboard for
these four steps of forgiveness.
00:28:25.80\00:28:29.30
Colossians Chapter 3.
00:28:29.34\00:28:31.94
We're going to verses 12 and 13.
00:28:31.97\00:28:34.34
Colossians 3:12-13, "Therefore,
00:28:39.15\00:28:44.72
as the elect of
God, holy and beloved,
00:28:44.75\00:28:48.52
put on tender mercies,
kindness, humility, meekness,
00:28:48.56\00:28:55.33
longsuffering."
00:28:55.36\00:28:56.70
And this is the verse
we're really looking at 13.
00:28:56.73\00:28:59.37
"Bearing with one another,
and forgiving one another,
00:28:59.40\00:29:04.81
if anyone has a
complaint against another,
00:29:04.84\00:29:08.64
even as Christ forgave you,
00:29:08.68\00:29:11.91
so you also must do."
00:29:11.95\00:29:16.52
That's a command. Could
you say that's a command?
00:29:16.55\00:29:18.75
It sounds
something like okay, Jill,
00:29:18.79\00:29:20.69
when you wake up in the morning
and you feel like forgiving,
00:29:20.72\00:29:23.69
okay then you forgive.
00:29:23.73\00:29:26.06
What's he say?
00:29:26.09\00:29:27.43
As Christ forgave
us, boy, I got to love,
00:29:27.46\00:29:31.60
I know that Jesus forgave me up.
00:29:31.63\00:29:34.57
As Christ forgave us,
00:29:34.60\00:29:37.11
so we also must forgive
our brothers and sisters.
00:29:37.14\00:29:42.04
When Jesus gives us a
command, it is always a promise.
00:29:42.08\00:29:45.45
It's never given to say, okay,
you have to do it now Jill,
00:29:45.48\00:29:48.58
just grit your
teeth little harder,
00:29:48.62\00:29:51.12
what did they
say, pull yourself up
00:29:51.15\00:29:52.52
by your
bootstraps and try again.
00:29:52.55\00:29:55.76
When He asks us to do something,
00:29:55.79\00:30:00.53
He gives us
strength with wish to do it.
00:30:00.56\00:30:03.43
So the four keys,
these are four steps
00:30:03.47\00:30:05.47
actually that God has lead me on
00:30:05.50\00:30:07.47
in my own forgiveness journey.
00:30:07.50\00:30:10.77
Number one, if you're
taking notes is simply to ask.
00:30:10.81\00:30:15.14
Ask for his forgiveness.
00:30:15.18\00:30:18.71
1 John 1:9, I don't think
we even need to turn there,
00:30:18.75\00:30:22.38
we can quote it together.
00:30:22.42\00:30:23.89
1 John 1:9, "If
we confess our sins,
00:30:23.92\00:30:28.09
he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins,
00:30:28.12\00:30:33.19
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
00:30:33.23\00:30:37.63
That's right.
00:30:37.67\00:30:39.87
We ask
forgiveness for ourselves.
00:30:39.90\00:30:43.24
I don't think we
can extend forgiveness
00:30:43.27\00:30:45.51
to someone else unless
00:30:45.54\00:30:48.74
we've experience
God's forgiveness.
00:30:48.78\00:30:51.18
Have you
experience that in your life?
00:30:51.21\00:30:53.01
If we're still
struggling under the load
00:30:53.05\00:30:54.95
of guilt and
shame and condemnation,
00:30:54.98\00:30:57.29
we cannot reach how and extend
00:30:57.32\00:30:59.69
any of God's
forgiveness to someone else.
00:30:59.72\00:31:02.22
So, God says if
you're feeling that,
00:31:02.26\00:31:04.53
if you're feeling that guilt
and shame and condemnation,
00:31:04.56\00:31:07.40
and all of that
stuff, claim the word of God,
00:31:07.43\00:31:11.50
they're promise.
00:31:11.53\00:31:12.87
If we confess,
the promise is sure,
00:31:12.90\00:31:14.70
it's not depended
on if I feel I get.
00:31:14.74\00:31:18.64
Okay, if I confess,
00:31:18.67\00:31:20.18
you're faithful
and just to forgive me
00:31:20.21\00:31:21.54
if I feel different,
no, the promise is sure.
00:31:21.58\00:31:25.48
So go to God,
00:31:25.51\00:31:26.85
asks for His
forgiveness for our self,
00:31:26.88\00:31:29.45
then we ask God to give us
His forgiveness for others.
00:31:29.48\00:31:32.45
This is still under number one,
00:31:32.49\00:31:33.82
ask for his
forgiveness for our self
00:31:33.86\00:31:36.19
and for other people.
00:31:36.22\00:31:38.59
Remember Jesus on the cross...
00:31:38.63\00:31:41.60
laid down, extended His arms
00:31:41.63\00:31:45.03
and as they're
driving those nails in,
00:31:45.07\00:31:47.34
what did He say?
00:31:47.37\00:31:49.17
Father forgive them,
00:31:49.20\00:31:51.94
for they don't
know what they do.
00:31:51.97\00:31:53.98
That right,
Jennifer, Father forgive them,
00:31:54.01\00:31:57.68
for they don't
know what they're doing.
00:31:57.71\00:32:00.32
That's Luke 23:34,
00:32:00.35\00:32:03.15
if you want to look
that up, Luke 23:34.
00:32:03.18\00:32:06.29
That's the ultimate example.
00:32:06.32\00:32:07.89
I can't even imagine, you know,
00:32:07.92\00:32:09.52
if someone's doing that
to me and me saying okay,
00:32:09.56\00:32:13.86
all we can do is ask.
00:32:13.90\00:32:15.36
Ask God for His forgiveness.
00:32:15.40\00:32:17.17
Number two, pray for the person.
00:32:17.20\00:32:21.90
I was...
00:32:21.94\00:32:23.27
this happened several years ago.
00:32:23.30\00:32:24.64
I was walking into a
room, it was a large room
00:32:24.67\00:32:28.88
and as I came
through the doorway,
00:32:28.91\00:32:30.68
at the other side of
the room was a woman.
00:32:30.71\00:32:33.82
She had her back to me.
00:32:33.85\00:32:35.92
We'll call her
Jenny, that's not her name,
00:32:35.95\00:32:37.95
we just call her that.
00:32:37.99\00:32:39.32
She had her back to me
and I knew who she was,
00:32:39.35\00:32:41.66
not well, but I
knew who she was.
00:32:41.69\00:32:44.46
So she's turned around
like over there across the room
00:32:44.49\00:32:46.59
with her back to me.
00:32:46.63\00:32:48.13
And I walked in and I thought,
00:32:48.16\00:32:49.76
oh, I'll go over and say hi
00:32:49.80\00:32:51.13
but there was a large crowd
of people she was talking to.
00:32:51.17\00:32:54.57
And you know what
she was talking about?
00:32:54.60\00:32:56.97
Me...
00:32:57.01\00:32:59.87
And it was not very nice.
00:32:59.91\00:33:04.58
And I just was like brooded,
you ever experience that?
00:33:04.61\00:33:07.38
Like oh, she's saying that
00:33:07.42\00:33:10.82
right now about me.
00:33:10.85\00:33:14.66
Oh, how dare she?
00:33:14.69\00:33:18.66
Right? Natural human response.
00:33:18.69\00:33:21.80
I turned around, I ran,
00:33:21.83\00:33:23.60
I remember I was crying, crying.
00:33:23.63\00:33:26.20
Turned around and ran.
00:33:26.23\00:33:28.04
Got in the car, praying.
00:33:28.07\00:33:30.41
Lord Jesus, she
just said all that stuff,
00:33:30.44\00:33:32.17
I don't even really know her,
00:33:32.21\00:33:33.54
I don't know
where that came from,
00:33:33.58\00:33:34.91
I just, I don't know
what to do with this,
00:33:34.94\00:33:37.41
but I will be a good Christian.
00:33:37.45\00:33:39.75
And I'm not going
to gossip about her.
00:33:39.78\00:33:42.35
So I was kind of proud of
my very good Christianity.
00:33:42.38\00:33:45.35
And I said, I will
not gossip about her,
00:33:45.39\00:33:47.52
so I didn't.
00:33:47.56\00:33:48.89
I didn't tell other
people what she had said.
00:33:48.92\00:33:51.56
I didn't say,
you know, what Nory,
00:33:51.59\00:33:53.50
you know what so and
so just said about me,
00:33:53.53\00:33:56.00
I cant believe
they would lie like...
00:33:56.03\00:33:57.80
No, I didn't say that, right?
00:33:57.83\00:33:59.57
I told my
husband and that was it
00:33:59.60\00:34:01.24
and we just took it to God.
00:34:01.27\00:34:03.41
Several months went by
and this is just being honest.
00:34:03.44\00:34:07.51
I actually thought
I had forgiven her.
00:34:07.54\00:34:10.25
It was buried.
00:34:10.28\00:34:11.61
My resentment, my
pain was buried so deeply,
00:34:11.65\00:34:17.92
I couldn't sense it.
00:34:17.95\00:34:19.32
I didn't know it was there.
00:34:19.35\00:34:22.09
So I went along...
00:34:22.12\00:34:24.79
don't you love God?
00:34:24.83\00:34:26.66
He shows us our heart
at just the right time,
00:34:26.70\00:34:29.93
when we need to be
changed, he knew it was there.
00:34:29.96\00:34:33.80
He knew that bitterness
and unforgiveness against Jenny
00:34:33.84\00:34:36.67
was there, but he also
knew when my heart was ripe.
00:34:36.71\00:34:40.08
When it would be
ready to receive it.
00:34:40.11\00:34:44.55
I was scrubbing dishes again.
00:34:44.58\00:34:46.41
You think all I do is dishes,
00:34:46.45\00:34:47.92
but however this story happened,
00:34:47.95\00:34:49.28
I was scrubbing dishes too.
00:34:49.32\00:34:50.65
I was scrubbing
dishes, and when I wash dishes,
00:34:50.69\00:34:52.75
I like to memorize scripture.
00:34:52.79\00:34:55.79
So this particular
scripture was Hebrews 12:14-15.
00:34:55.82\00:35:00.90
I memorized it in King James.
00:35:00.93\00:35:04.53
But it's just as
good in any translation.
00:35:04.57\00:35:06.67
Hebrews 12:14-15, it starts out
00:35:06.70\00:35:09.04
"Follow peace with
all men, and holiness,
00:35:09.07\00:35:12.44
without which no
one shall see God."
00:35:12.47\00:35:15.18
And I was kind of
excited because I thought,
00:35:15.21\00:35:16.85
oh, thank you Jesus,
00:35:16.88\00:35:18.21
I'm walking in peace
with my brothers and sisters.
00:35:18.25\00:35:22.42
That tells you how deep
that bitterness was buried
00:35:22.45\00:35:26.72
because I actually
thought I was in peace.
00:35:26.76\00:35:29.12
Then the next verse jolted me
00:35:29.16\00:35:31.36
out of my spiritual complacency.
00:35:31.39\00:35:33.36
It says, "Looking
diligently lest any man fail
00:35:33.40\00:35:36.93
of the grace of Christ,
00:35:36.97\00:35:38.93
lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you,
00:35:38.97\00:35:43.84
and thereby many
people be defiled."
00:35:43.87\00:35:46.51
And as soon as I read that,
00:35:46.54\00:35:47.88
I was like God spoke to
my heart and he said, Jill,
00:35:47.91\00:35:50.98
if you hang on to this
bitterness against Jenny,
00:35:51.01\00:35:55.32
it's gonna affect your life,
your marriage, your ministry.
00:35:55.35\00:36:00.79
Do you want that?
00:36:00.82\00:36:02.16
And I said absolutely not.
00:36:02.19\00:36:03.53
But God, I don't
know how to get rid of it.
00:36:03.56\00:36:05.13
Remember we're on number two,
00:36:05.16\00:36:06.80
for how to
forgive others that is
00:36:06.83\00:36:09.60
pray for that
person, that's right.
00:36:09.63\00:36:12.47
Pray for that person,
00:36:12.50\00:36:13.84
so God led me on a
journey to pray for Jenny.
00:36:13.87\00:36:17.24
Now this is not a prayer
that I felt like to pray.
00:36:17.27\00:36:20.91
My prayer would have been,
God bring down some judgment.
00:36:20.94\00:36:24.58
God, you know, she
could get in a car wreck.
00:36:24.61\00:36:27.18
Not to really hurt,
00:36:27.22\00:36:28.55
but just to
kind of shake her up.
00:36:28.58\00:36:29.98
God, you know you
could do x, y, and z,
00:36:30.02\00:36:32.02
but instead I prayed
what felt fake inside
00:36:32.05\00:36:36.76
but it's biblical.
00:36:36.79\00:36:38.13
So I prayed it anyway.
00:36:38.16\00:36:39.59
I said God,
00:36:39.63\00:36:41.76
I prayed
blessings over Jenny's life.
00:36:41.80\00:36:43.83
I asked that
You'd bless her marriage
00:36:43.87\00:36:46.13
and her family.
00:36:46.17\00:36:47.80
I pray that you
would enlarge her ministry,
00:36:47.84\00:36:51.14
I pray that today
you would bless her
00:36:51.17\00:36:53.48
with the sense of Your presence
00:36:53.51\00:36:55.08
and that You would bless her
00:36:55.11\00:36:56.44
when she goes out
and when she comes in
00:36:56.48\00:36:57.91
and when she's lying
down and when she's rising up
00:36:57.95\00:37:00.02
and as she goes
throughout her day.
00:37:00.05\00:37:02.72
I pray that you
would give her a good day
00:37:02.75\00:37:05.75
and that You would
pour Your spirit upon her,
00:37:05.79\00:37:08.56
that You would
use her in ministry.
00:37:08.59\00:37:10.59
I pray for financial blessings
00:37:10.63\00:37:12.96
and spiritual
blessings in Christ Jesus,
00:37:12.99\00:37:14.96
all of that stuff
I prayed for Jenny.
00:37:15.00\00:37:18.13
Day one...
00:37:18.17\00:37:20.94
I felt the same.
00:37:20.97\00:37:22.57
Day two, no change.
00:37:22.60\00:37:25.27
Day three, nothing.
00:37:25.31\00:37:28.11
Day four, hate.
00:37:28.14\00:37:31.45
Along about day,
I don't even know.
00:37:31.48\00:37:35.55
Maybe five, six.
00:37:35.58\00:37:38.19
God did something,
he changed my heart.
00:37:38.22\00:37:41.92
It's a beautiful thing,
00:37:41.96\00:37:43.29
and all of a sudden as
I prayed the same prayer
00:37:43.32\00:37:45.46
that had felt fake before,
00:37:45.49\00:37:47.96
God released that pain,
that anger, that bitterness
00:37:48.00\00:37:52.33
and replaced it with
freedom, healing, love.
00:37:52.37\00:37:58.31
Only the Lord
Jesus Christ can do that.
00:37:58.34\00:38:01.18
First we ask for His
forgiveness for ourselves
00:38:01.21\00:38:03.51
and for other people.
00:38:03.55\00:38:04.88
Second, we pray for the person.
00:38:04.91\00:38:06.61
Third, we surrender
the desire for revenge.
00:38:06.65\00:38:10.89
Surrender that
desire for revenge.
00:38:10.92\00:38:13.05
Romans 8:28,
00:38:13.09\00:38:15.92
let's turn over to there.
00:38:15.96\00:38:17.56
This is probably one of my
favorite all time Bible verses,
00:38:17.59\00:38:21.23
Romans 8:28.
00:38:21.26\00:38:24.73
You like it, Lori,
too. Lori is nodding.
00:38:24.77\00:38:26.77
In Romans 8:28,
00:38:26.80\00:38:28.37
"We know that all
things work together for good
00:38:28.40\00:38:32.67
to those who love God,
00:38:32.71\00:38:34.51
to those who are called
according to his purpose."
00:38:34.54\00:38:40.58
It doesn't mean all
things are good, of course not.
00:38:40.62\00:38:43.62
It just means that God
can turn any situation,
00:38:43.65\00:38:47.59
any difficulty around for good,
00:38:47.62\00:38:50.96
but there's a condition, if...
00:38:50.99\00:38:55.13
if we love him to
those who are called,
00:38:55.16\00:38:57.53
if we forgive, if we
love, if we choose, absolutely.
00:38:57.57\00:39:01.20
Remember the story of Joseph.
00:39:01.24\00:39:03.47
His brothers sold
him when he was young.
00:39:03.51\00:39:06.68
About 17 years old
maybe as a slave into Egypt.
00:39:06.71\00:39:11.31
He had been the
cherished, chosen special son
00:39:11.35\00:39:14.98
and all of a sudden he
goes to work drudgery, slavery.
00:39:15.02\00:39:19.59
He spent 10 years
00:39:19.62\00:39:20.96
in Potiphar's house, he grew up,
00:39:20.99\00:39:22.32
he was given a lot
of privileges for slave.
00:39:22.36\00:39:26.43
He had a great
deal of privilege.
00:39:26.46\00:39:27.86
He was in charge with the house
00:39:27.90\00:39:30.07
and then his master's
wife accused him wrongly.
00:39:30.10\00:39:32.97
He was put in jail
through no fault of his own.
00:39:33.00\00:39:38.21
Now that would
lead to bitterness.
00:39:38.24\00:39:39.57
Would you think so?
00:39:39.61\00:39:40.94
I would think that would lead
00:39:40.98\00:39:42.31
to pain and
bitterness and unforgiveness.
00:39:42.34\00:39:45.38
And yet years later,
when the famine hit Egypt,
00:39:45.41\00:39:48.98
and his brothers came for food
00:39:49.02\00:39:51.89
for themselves and for
dad and whoever back at home.
00:39:51.92\00:39:56.66
Their families back at home.
00:39:56.69\00:39:58.89
He said, what you
intended for evil, God turned...
00:39:58.93\00:40:05.70
That's right,
God turned for good.
00:40:05.73\00:40:10.61
It's the Romans 8:28 principle.
00:40:10.64\00:40:12.41
Whatever Satan
intends in our lives for evil,
00:40:12.44\00:40:15.51
if we surrender, if we
submit to the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:40:15.54\00:40:19.41
He can turn it around for good.
00:40:19.45\00:40:23.05
One more scripture
in Romans, Romans 12,
00:40:23.08\00:40:25.45
just jump over
a couple chapters.
00:40:25.49\00:40:28.09
Romans 12:19,
00:40:28.12\00:40:34.20
Romans 12:19,
00:40:34.23\00:40:35.76
"Beloved, do not
avenge yourselves,
00:40:35.80\00:40:37.83
but rather give
place to wrath..."
00:40:37.87\00:40:39.47
Here's the part.
00:40:39.50\00:40:40.84
"For it is
written, Vengeance is mine."
00:40:40.87\00:40:45.51
Who repays?
00:40:45.54\00:40:47.34
God, God will repay.
00:40:47.38\00:40:50.11
Vengeance is God's, He's
the one who's gonna repay.
00:40:50.15\00:40:54.98
So not only do we trust him
00:40:55.02\00:40:56.65
that what Satan
intends for evil,
00:40:56.69\00:40:58.82
he can workout for good.
00:40:58.85\00:41:01.39
But in the
midst to that he says,
00:41:01.42\00:41:03.36
I'm gonna even the scores,
00:41:03.39\00:41:05.33
I'm keeping track
of all that stuff.
00:41:05.36\00:41:08.46
I'm gonna even those scores.
00:41:08.50\00:41:10.57
Surrender is not
always an easy thing.
00:41:10.60\00:41:12.63
Have you experienced that?
00:41:12.67\00:41:14.34
Sometimes in
theory it's very easy.
00:41:14.37\00:41:18.61
God, I give you my will.
00:41:18.64\00:41:20.31
God, I ask you to
take me at my heart.
00:41:20.34\00:41:22.54
God, I ask you to take
these desires for revenge
00:41:22.58\00:41:25.38
or these feelings
that I'm dealing with.
00:41:25.41\00:41:26.95
God, I ask you to take it.
00:41:26.98\00:41:28.35
In practice, it can
be a trifle difficult.
00:41:28.38\00:41:32.02
My sister lives
in North Carolina,
00:41:32.05\00:41:34.42
and she has
four boys at present,
00:41:34.46\00:41:36.49
but when this story
happened she had three.
00:41:36.52\00:41:38.93
And they had a tornado warning.
00:41:38.96\00:41:42.13
You know the
weather scanner, it went off
00:41:42.16\00:41:45.40
and in our area
what would it say,
00:41:45.43\00:41:46.94
the national weather
service in Paducah, Kentucky
00:41:46.97\00:41:49.14
has issued a rain
something like that.
00:41:49.17\00:41:51.61
But in her area it says,
00:41:51.64\00:41:52.97
her local county has
issued a tornado warning.
00:41:53.01\00:41:56.85
Now her husband is a
nurse and works nights.
00:41:56.88\00:42:00.05
It was night time.
00:42:00.08\00:42:01.98
She's home alone...
00:42:02.02\00:42:04.22
What are they gonna do?
00:42:04.25\00:42:05.59
Tornado warning,
what does that mean?
00:42:05.62\00:42:07.16
Funnel cloud activity, right?
00:42:07.19\00:42:09.72
Tornado has been
spotted, it's not a watch,
00:42:09.76\00:42:11.99
potentially
something could happen,
00:42:12.03\00:42:13.63
it's a warning, it's on its way.
00:42:13.66\00:42:15.80
So she grabbed, she had
three boys at this time,
00:42:15.83\00:42:18.53
she grabbed the first son,
00:42:18.57\00:42:21.20
picked him up, he's
sleeping, night time.
00:42:21.24\00:42:24.11
Ran with him...
00:42:24.14\00:42:26.37
underneath they
have a crawl space,
00:42:26.41\00:42:28.24
trying to get more to safety,
00:42:28.28\00:42:29.68
it would be safer
in the crawl space
00:42:29.71\00:42:31.18
if something
happened to the house.
00:42:31.21\00:42:32.88
Tuck him underneath the
house, grabs the next son,
00:42:32.91\00:42:36.42
runs, puts him
underneath the house.
00:42:36.45\00:42:39.99
Grabs the third son, runs,
puts him underneath the house.
00:42:40.02\00:42:43.83
Now you know what's
amazing about that story?
00:42:43.86\00:42:46.59
They didn't wake up.
00:42:46.63\00:42:48.80
None of the boys woke up.
00:42:48.83\00:42:51.43
They didn't hear the
scanner going off or the sirens.
00:42:51.47\00:42:55.34
They weren't disturbed
00:42:55.37\00:42:56.71
when their mom
yanked them from bed
00:42:56.74\00:42:59.67
and carried them
underneath the house.
00:42:59.71\00:43:02.64
They slept,
00:43:02.68\00:43:04.01
now they sleep
heavy and that's obvious,
00:43:04.05\00:43:05.91
you could only sleep
heavy if that happened.
00:43:05.95\00:43:08.28
But I think it illustrates
a spiritual principle.
00:43:08.32\00:43:12.22
If I am truly surrender,
I trust my heavenly Father,
00:43:12.25\00:43:18.99
I say, I know, you
know, what's best for me.
00:43:19.03\00:43:22.86
You know what's
going on in my life.
00:43:22.90\00:43:25.30
You know what so
and so just did to me.
00:43:25.33\00:43:27.84
I trust all that with You
and I will sleep in Your arms.
00:43:27.87\00:43:33.98
I will sleep in Your will.
00:43:34.01\00:43:36.54
I choose to fully
and completely trust you.
00:43:36.58\00:43:42.52
First we pray for...
00:43:42.55\00:43:43.99
ask for God's forgiveness.
00:43:44.02\00:43:45.35
Second, we pray for the person.
00:43:45.39\00:43:47.46
Third, we surrender
the desire for revenge
00:43:47.49\00:43:49.96
and number four, we choose.
00:43:49.99\00:43:53.50
Choose to process
steps two and three
00:43:53.53\00:43:55.56
until God changes our hearts.
00:43:55.60\00:43:57.47
It doesn't happen overnight.
00:43:57.50\00:43:59.33
Sometimes it does
00:43:59.37\00:44:00.70
and God gives
immediate deliverance
00:44:00.74\00:44:02.64
and praise His name,
and sometimes He says,
00:44:02.67\00:44:05.67
I'm asking you to pray.
00:44:05.71\00:44:07.28
I'm asking you
to surrender again.
00:44:07.31\00:44:10.85
We choose to
pray and to surrender.
00:44:10.88\00:44:13.82
Sometimes you
surrender and 30 seconds later
00:44:13.85\00:44:15.88
guess what happens?
00:44:15.92\00:44:17.39
You surrender again.
00:44:17.42\00:44:18.85
And a minute later,
you surrender again.
00:44:18.89\00:44:22.02
Satan brings it
back, you surrender again.
00:44:22.06\00:44:25.09
Every time we do that,
00:44:25.13\00:44:28.26
I'm here to tell
you it gets easier.
00:44:28.30\00:44:30.67
Every time we do that,
00:44:30.70\00:44:33.23
there's less and less time
00:44:33.27\00:44:34.64
before Satan brings it back
00:44:34.67\00:44:36.84
and then pretty
soon, it's quiet.
00:44:36.87\00:44:39.41
You know, Corrie ten Boom,
00:44:39.44\00:44:41.44
and the story is told...
00:44:41.48\00:44:42.84
Now she has a
wonderful forgiveness stories.
00:44:42.88\00:44:45.31
She was in the
concentration camp
00:44:45.35\00:44:50.25
for hiding Jewish
people during World War II,
00:44:50.29\00:44:52.89
and the Nazis took her
00:44:52.92\00:44:54.26
and her sister
Betsie died in there.
00:44:54.29\00:44:58.86
Horrible experiences,
00:44:58.89\00:45:00.66
she came out learning
experiencing forgiveness.
00:45:00.70\00:45:03.83
But one of the story she
writes about is years later
00:45:03.87\00:45:07.47
when she thought she
had mastered forgiveness,
00:45:07.50\00:45:10.01
she had forgiven the guards,
00:45:10.04\00:45:12.04
the people who
had hurt her sister
00:45:12.07\00:45:14.84
and her dad and
her family so terribly
00:45:14.88\00:45:17.05
and she thought she was free.
00:45:17.08\00:45:20.35
Years later when she
thought she was free,
00:45:20.38\00:45:25.59
some friends,
supposed friends betrayed her.
00:45:25.62\00:45:30.79
And she went to God and said,
God I ask you to release me.
00:45:30.83\00:45:34.86
I'm doing the
surrender and this forgiveness
00:45:34.90\00:45:37.17
and this all of this
stuff I ask for that.
00:45:37.20\00:45:40.14
But she said the
feelings didn't go away
00:45:40.17\00:45:41.90
and she was asking
for God's forgiveness
00:45:41.94\00:45:43.77
and they didn't go away,
00:45:43.81\00:45:45.14
and finally she
went to see a pastor.
00:45:45.17\00:45:47.64
And she said, you know,
I'm really struggling here.
00:45:47.68\00:45:50.18
I'm really struggling.
00:45:50.21\00:45:52.41
I can't get freedom.
00:45:52.45\00:45:53.88
And he said, well, have you
asked for God's forgiveness?
00:45:53.92\00:45:55.88
Yes, I have.
00:45:55.92\00:45:57.39
And went through the
steps, have you done this?
00:45:57.42\00:45:59.59
Yes, I have. Yes, I'm
praying. Yes, I've asked.
00:45:59.62\00:46:02.19
Yes, I've surrendered all
of that, but I'm not free.
00:46:02.22\00:46:06.26
And he reminded her of a bell.
00:46:06.29\00:46:08.06
This is a bell Greg
brought for me, from Pikes Peak.
00:46:08.10\00:46:12.93
A large bell like a church bell,
00:46:12.97\00:46:15.77
with one of those ropes.
00:46:15.80\00:46:18.77
You jump, you pull what happens?
00:46:18.81\00:46:21.21
Back and forth, now what happens
00:46:21.24\00:46:22.88
when your let go off the rope?
00:46:22.91\00:46:26.51
There's a
little bit more, right?
00:46:26.55\00:46:28.42
Another ding,
another dong, another ding
00:46:28.45\00:46:31.92
until the bell stops swinging.
00:46:31.95\00:46:35.92
If you pull it
pretty vigorously,
00:46:35.96\00:46:37.33
it's gonna go like
this for a while, right?
00:46:37.36\00:46:39.43
And if you let go off the rope,
it swings, swings less, less
00:46:39.46\00:46:44.50
until the bell is quiet.
00:46:44.53\00:46:46.30
And I think this same
thing with forgiveness.
00:46:46.33\00:46:49.67
We release, we ask God for that,
00:46:49.70\00:46:51.67
sometimes it swings a bit.
00:46:51.71\00:46:54.08
But then pretty soon it
swings less and less and less
00:46:54.11\00:46:57.91
and then God says, you're free.
00:46:57.95\00:47:00.22
I've released you.
00:47:00.25\00:47:03.92
Back to the
seed, the word of God.
00:47:03.95\00:47:09.76
Sometimes God
wants to plant His word
00:47:09.79\00:47:13.86
in your heart and in mind.
00:47:13.90\00:47:16.16
And we're resistant.
00:47:16.20\00:47:17.53
We talked about
the road being hard,
00:47:17.57\00:47:20.04
we're resistant to the work.
00:47:20.07\00:47:21.40
Sometimes, Satan
tramples our heart,
00:47:21.44\00:47:25.37
maybe it's by
confusing God's character.
00:47:25.41\00:47:27.61
Maybe he
tramples us by that pain
00:47:27.64\00:47:30.55
and we struggle
with forgiveness.
00:47:30.58\00:47:32.55
Someone else tramples on us
00:47:32.58\00:47:34.62
and we struggle
with forgiveness.
00:47:34.65\00:47:36.28
The third way,
00:47:36.32\00:47:38.25
the third hindrance to God
planting His word in our heart.
00:47:38.29\00:47:41.52
We're jumping back to
our parable, that's in Luke.
00:47:41.56\00:47:44.73
Luke 8:5 again.
00:47:44.76\00:47:48.76
Luke 8:5,
00:47:48.80\00:47:50.97
some fell by the wayside,
that's the resistant heart.
00:47:51.00\00:47:55.94
And if you're resistant
tonight, just go to God,
00:47:55.97\00:47:58.61
He wants to soften your heart
00:47:58.64\00:48:00.21
with the washing of
the water of His word.
00:48:00.24\00:48:02.44
He who wants to
pour His Holy Spirit in
00:48:02.48\00:48:05.75
and plow up that ground.
00:48:05.78\00:48:08.65
May be you're the trampled.
00:48:08.68\00:48:10.29
Some fell by the wayside
and it was trampled down.
00:48:10.32\00:48:13.69
Maybe you are trampled
tonight and you are hurting.
00:48:13.72\00:48:16.46
God says I can
bring you deliverance.
00:48:16.49\00:48:19.93
I can set you free.
00:48:19.96\00:48:22.73
Free from the pain,
free from the bitterness,
00:48:22.76\00:48:26.40
free from the
jealousy, whatever it is.
00:48:26.43\00:48:28.94
God wants to set you free.
00:48:28.97\00:48:30.54
And number three,
00:48:30.57\00:48:32.94
"The birds of
the air devoured it."
00:48:32.97\00:48:35.64
Some fell by the
wayside and it was trampled down
00:48:35.68\00:48:38.45
and the birds of
the air devoured it.
00:48:38.48\00:48:41.62
I call that stolen.
00:48:41.65\00:48:44.39
The seed is stolen.
00:48:44.42\00:48:46.99
God wants to plant His
word, maybe you hear a sermon,
00:48:47.02\00:48:51.03
and what happens?
00:48:51.06\00:48:52.79
Satan in church,
and all of a sudden,
00:48:52.83\00:48:55.73
Satan snatches the word you
just heard from the preacher
00:48:55.76\00:48:59.73
right out of your
heart, it's stolen.
00:48:59.77\00:49:03.77
How can the seed
be stolen from us?
00:49:03.81\00:49:08.28
It could be stolen by busyness.
00:49:08.31\00:49:10.58
Being too busy to
get into the word of God.
00:49:10.61\00:49:12.88
It can be
stolen by carelessness,
00:49:12.91\00:49:14.55
but I think one
of the main reasons,
00:49:14.58\00:49:16.89
the main ways that
the seed can be stolen
00:49:16.92\00:49:20.46
is through misunderstanding
of the value of it.
00:49:20.49\00:49:25.16
It's taken away because we
don't understand its value.
00:49:25.19\00:49:28.90
We don't even
know what its worth.
00:49:28.93\00:49:33.57
I want to close tonight
with one more Jill story.
00:49:33.60\00:49:36.97
It was a Monday night
00:49:37.01\00:49:38.34
and we were
doing our Bible study.
00:49:38.37\00:49:42.01
And all of a sudden,
00:49:42.04\00:49:43.55
I heard a women
scream down the hall.
00:49:43.58\00:49:46.58
And that's not real
common, when you go in,
00:49:46.61\00:49:49.18
it's not real common to hear
someone scream and I thought,
00:49:49.22\00:49:51.79
oh, what was that?
00:49:51.82\00:49:53.15
And I looked around the circle
00:49:53.19\00:49:54.52
and all the women
were really focused
00:49:54.56\00:49:57.69
on the Bible study.
00:49:57.73\00:49:59.06
And I thought
Jill, shame on you.
00:49:59.09\00:50:01.50
If they can focus
on the Bible study
00:50:01.53\00:50:04.37
and block out someone screaming
00:50:04.40\00:50:05.93
and all those extra
noises, surely you can do.
00:50:05.97\00:50:09.54
And so I tried to
discipline my mind
00:50:09.57\00:50:11.94
and focus on the Bible study.
00:50:11.97\00:50:15.44
The scream came again.
00:50:15.48\00:50:17.68
And my friend from church
00:50:17.71\00:50:19.11
who is leading
the study, she said,
00:50:19.15\00:50:20.55
how many of you
have heard the story
00:50:20.58\00:50:21.92
of Daniel in the lions' den?
00:50:21.95\00:50:24.45
Now, if I were to
ask you that here,
00:50:24.49\00:50:26.82
probably every hand, right?
00:50:26.86\00:50:28.19
We all know the story of
Daniel in the lions' den.
00:50:28.22\00:50:30.29
Now one hand went up,
00:50:30.33\00:50:32.59
so she just
launched in to the story
00:50:32.63\00:50:35.13
of Daniel in the lions' den
00:50:35.16\00:50:36.56
and the scream had
happened a third time.
00:50:36.60\00:50:39.67
And then a fourth,
00:50:39.70\00:50:41.04
and I could not concentrate
on Daniel in the lions' den
00:50:41.07\00:50:43.51
and I just said excuse me,
00:50:43.54\00:50:44.87
I'm so sorry to
interrupt the study--
00:50:44.91\00:50:46.24
what's wrong?
00:50:46.27\00:50:47.61
Is somebody in trouble?
00:50:47.64\00:50:49.41
Does somebody need help?
00:50:49.44\00:50:52.15
And they kind of
rolled their eyes and said,
00:50:52.18\00:50:54.85
that's Amber.
00:50:54.88\00:50:56.42
That's not her real name.
00:50:56.45\00:50:58.62
That's Amber.
00:50:58.65\00:51:01.02
She's been in and
out of jail before,
00:51:01.06\00:51:03.63
she has ruined her mind.
00:51:03.66\00:51:06.09
She's crazy.
00:51:06.13\00:51:07.93
Amber, Amber, I kept thinking,
I should know that name.
00:51:07.96\00:51:12.57
I should know that--
00:51:12.60\00:51:13.94
what if I had seen her,
00:51:13.97\00:51:15.30
and then all of a
sudden I remembered,
00:51:15.34\00:51:16.67
she had been in our Bible study.
00:51:16.71\00:51:18.67
I remembered her being there.
00:51:18.71\00:51:21.48
Why would-- but I
thought she got released.
00:51:21.51\00:51:23.75
So what was she
doing back in jail,
00:51:23.78\00:51:26.21
I didn't know.
00:51:26.25\00:51:28.12
We worked on the study in--
00:51:28.15\00:51:30.79
She kept screaming
00:51:30.82\00:51:32.15
and I didn't know
what to do with that,
00:51:32.19\00:51:33.52
and finally the study ended,
00:51:33.56\00:51:35.79
and we say goodbye to our sister
00:51:35.82\00:51:37.39
and they walked out
down the hall and I went up.
00:51:37.43\00:51:40.80
When we come out
of our little room,
00:51:40.83\00:51:42.16
there's a little
desk right out there.
00:51:42.20\00:51:45.23
And I went up to the desk
in to the guard and I said,
00:51:45.27\00:51:47.37
excuse me,
00:51:47.40\00:51:49.17
would you mind
is there any chance
00:51:49.20\00:51:51.07
you would let me go,
00:51:51.11\00:51:52.44
pray with Amber, I
really want to go see her.
00:51:52.47\00:51:55.31
He looked kind of tired.
00:51:55.34\00:51:56.68
He said, oh,
Amber, he said, yes,
00:51:56.71\00:51:58.25
she's been in and out.
00:51:58.28\00:51:59.61
She's taking bath salts
00:51:59.65\00:52:02.35
and it had kind of
messed with her mind.
00:52:02.38\00:52:04.82
He said she's probably
been in and out 20 times.
00:52:04.85\00:52:07.26
She gets out,
she gets picked up,
00:52:07.29\00:52:08.96
she gets out, she gets
picked up, she gets out.
00:52:08.99\00:52:12.26
And I said, please I
would like to pray with her.
00:52:12.29\00:52:15.13
And he said okay.
00:52:15.16\00:52:16.87
And so I went down,
00:52:16.90\00:52:18.23
it was down the
hall in solitary.
00:52:18.27\00:52:20.44
And he followed behind me.
00:52:20.47\00:52:23.27
I went down the hall
and she saw me coming,
00:52:23.30\00:52:27.01
there's a little glass window,
00:52:27.04\00:52:28.38
she saw me coming
before I even got there.
00:52:28.41\00:52:30.51
"Hey, lady come over
here, I want to talk to you."
00:52:30.55\00:52:34.22
And I said,
00:52:34.25\00:52:35.58
"Hi Amber, my name is
Jill, I came to talk to you,
00:52:35.62\00:52:39.69
if that's okay."
00:52:39.72\00:52:41.26
So we kind of made small talk
and then I got to the point.
00:52:41.29\00:52:45.76
Because I knew the guard's
00:52:45.79\00:52:47.13
then and there
and you got to hurry.
00:52:47.16\00:52:48.50
You can't waste time.
00:52:48.53\00:52:49.86
And I said "Do you mind Amber,
00:52:49.90\00:52:51.57
I actually came
to pray with you?"
00:52:51.60\00:52:53.90
She began to get agitated.
00:52:53.94\00:52:56.30
"No, no, I don't want
prayer, I don't need prayer."
00:52:56.34\00:53:00.88
Then she stepped
right up to the glass
00:53:00.91\00:53:02.98
and she looked at
me through the glass.
00:53:03.01\00:53:06.48
"Oh, lady, you
have pretty teeth,
00:53:06.51\00:53:10.42
I'd like teeth like that."
00:53:10.45\00:53:13.82
Her teeth, I don't even
remember what they look like
00:53:13.86\00:53:16.52
but, you know, sometimes
when you do some stuff,
00:53:16.56\00:53:18.76
it messes with
your teeth, right?
00:53:18.79\00:53:21.13
But I don't even remember
if she had good teeth or not.
00:53:21.16\00:53:23.67
She said, "I want your teeth."
00:53:23.70\00:53:25.03
And I said,
"Amber, I'm so sorry,
00:53:25.07\00:53:27.27
I can't give you my teeth."
00:53:27.30\00:53:28.74
Right?
00:53:28.77\00:53:30.11
"I can't give them to you,
00:53:30.14\00:53:31.84
but I would love
to pray with you."
00:53:31.87\00:53:37.45
Oh, she said, "I
don't want a prayer,
00:53:37.48\00:53:39.51
I don't need prayer,
00:53:39.55\00:53:41.12
over your teeth,
look at your teeth.
00:53:41.15\00:53:43.79
Lady, I want teeth like that."
00:53:43.82\00:53:46.72
I said, "Amber, we can talk--
00:53:46.76\00:53:52.03
with the God of the universe,
00:53:52.06\00:53:54.86
the God who can do anything."
00:53:54.90\00:53:58.57
"Look at those teeth."
00:53:58.60\00:54:01.44
And so I turned away.
00:54:01.47\00:54:03.41
Nothing more I could say.
00:54:03.44\00:54:07.54
Walked down the hall,
00:54:07.58\00:54:10.25
we got in our
cars and we drove home.
00:54:10.28\00:54:14.82
And as I drove,
00:54:14.85\00:54:16.18
I thought about
the tremendous gift
00:54:16.22\00:54:19.65
that she has cast aside.
00:54:19.69\00:54:21.82
That was not purposeful.
00:54:21.86\00:54:23.93
She didn't
purposely caste aside.
00:54:23.96\00:54:26.26
She simply had no idea
of the value of our King.
00:54:26.29\00:54:32.93
She didn't know
00:54:32.97\00:54:34.30
what talking to the creator
God of the universe could do.
00:54:34.34\00:54:37.97
She didn't know
what a difference God
00:54:38.01\00:54:40.51
could make in her life.
00:54:40.54\00:54:42.28
She had never experienced
00:54:42.31\00:54:45.25
His life transforming grace
00:54:45.28\00:54:49.55
in her life before.
00:54:49.58\00:54:52.45
And so what does she say?
00:54:52.49\00:54:54.19
I see something
physical, just give me teeth.
00:54:54.22\00:54:58.06
Settling for second best,
00:54:58.09\00:55:00.33
when God wanted to
give her everything,
00:55:00.36\00:55:03.50
and then as I thought of that,
00:55:03.53\00:55:07.37
God reminded me,
00:55:07.40\00:55:09.10
in the recesses
of my heart and life,
00:55:09.14\00:55:12.77
that I too have been like Amber.
00:55:12.81\00:55:17.31
I have prayed for teeth.
00:55:17.35\00:55:19.45
Not literally,
00:55:19.48\00:55:20.95
but how many times have
I settled for second best.
00:55:20.98\00:55:27.39
I come to God and
say, give me a job.
00:55:27.42\00:55:31.69
I want a husband, I
already have a husband,
00:55:31.73\00:55:33.56
I'm just making up, right?
00:55:33.60\00:55:35.96
Help me get that
dress in the window,
00:55:36.00\00:55:39.57
I want a new car--
00:55:39.60\00:55:41.54
really?
00:55:41.57\00:55:42.90
That's all second best.
00:55:42.94\00:55:45.87
Material,
everyday, ordinary things
00:55:45.91\00:55:50.18
and God says come,
come, you can talk to me.
00:55:50.21\00:55:56.48
I am the creator
God of the universe,
00:55:56.52\00:55:58.39
I can give you peace,
00:55:58.42\00:55:59.95
I can flood your
soul with love and joy,
00:55:59.99\00:56:03.63
longsuffering and
those fruits of the spirit,
00:56:03.66\00:56:06.03
I can give you peace
in your relationships
00:56:06.06\00:56:07.96
with other people.
00:56:08.00\00:56:09.33
I can fill the
void in your heart
00:56:09.36\00:56:12.30
and I just say
God give me teeth.
00:56:12.33\00:56:16.37
Misunderstanding,
other seeds value.
00:56:16.40\00:56:21.58
Satan can come
in and can steal it.
00:56:21.61\00:56:24.01
If I don't know the
value of the word of God.
00:56:24.05\00:56:26.58
Sure, you can
have the word of God
00:56:26.61\00:56:27.98
and people are dying,
00:56:28.02\00:56:30.85
giving their lives,
persecuted for owning a Bible.
00:56:30.89\00:56:36.83
And I say, I let it
collect dust in the shelf.
00:56:36.86\00:56:40.23
I think God wants
to do something radical
00:56:40.26\00:56:42.63
in our hearts and lives.
00:56:42.66\00:56:44.00
He says I want to
plant my word, my seed,
00:56:44.03\00:56:48.97
deep into your heart.
00:56:49.00\00:56:51.51
He says I want to
change you, I want to make us--
00:56:51.54\00:56:54.54
He wants to make us
into the image of Jesus.
00:56:54.58\00:56:57.58
So tonight, we talked
about the parable of the sower.
00:56:57.61\00:57:01.18
How--
00:57:01.22\00:57:03.99
Sometimes we're hard to
the work of the Holy Spirit,
00:57:04.02\00:57:06.12
and if that's the
case with you tonight,
00:57:06.15\00:57:07.99
open up your
heart to the Lord Jesus.
00:57:08.02\00:57:09.86
Let Him come in and soften you.
00:57:09.89\00:57:13.80
Sometimes, we're trampled
on through no fault of our own
00:57:13.83\00:57:17.23
and if that's your case tonight,
00:57:17.27\00:57:19.30
let Jesus give
you His forgiveness,
00:57:19.33\00:57:22.57
let Him pour His love and
grace and mercy into your life,
00:57:22.60\00:57:27.31
so that you can extend
00:57:27.34\00:57:29.41
His forgiveness to someone else.
00:57:29.44\00:57:32.55
Maybe--
00:57:32.58\00:57:34.55
you've lost sight of
the value of the word of God
00:57:34.58\00:57:37.65
and you're busy,
00:57:37.69\00:57:39.09
you're achieving
whatever dream you think you had
00:57:39.12\00:57:43.19
and you misunderstand the
value in this word, go to God.
00:57:43.22\00:57:47.86
Say, I'm not gonna
settle for second best.
00:57:47.90\00:57:50.00
I want the best
thing that You have for me.
00:57:50.03\00:57:53.90
Know that we
love you here at 3ABN,
00:57:53.94\00:57:56.94
that we pray God's blessings
and anointing over your life,
00:57:56.97\00:58:00.94
and we will see you next week.
00:58:00.98\00:58:02.84