? (Theme Song) ?
? Jesus is worthy ?
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? oh yes, he's worthy
? ? worthy of all... ?
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? all the
praise... ? ? (Music) ?
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Pastor Byrd: I must
admit, out of all the miracles,
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out of all the Jesus
miracle stories in the Bible,
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this one is my favorite.
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It's my favorite for many
reasons and I don't have time
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to tell you all the
reasons, but know this,
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I love the ending of this text.
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I love when the man
says, you know what?
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Whether he was a sinner or
not, I don't even know all that.
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Whether he was a preacher,
whether he was a prophet,
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whether he's a priest
or pastor, I don't know.
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I don't know where he came from.
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I don't know
where he is right now.
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I don't know where he's going.
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I don't know his family.
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I don't know if he's a
doctor, if he's a nurse,
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if he's a lawyer,
if he's a teacher,
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if he's a dentist, I
don't know who he is,
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but all I do know is I
once was blind, but now I see.
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Do I have a
witness in this place?
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There are many
illnesses and impairments
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in our world today.
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You name it, we have it.
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Cancer, we have it.
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Leukemia, we have it.
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High blood pressure, we have it.
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Hypertension, we have it.
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HIV, we have it.
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Sickle cell, we have it.
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Glaucoma, we have it.
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Arthritis, we have it.
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The inability to
talk, we have it.
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The inability to
walk, we have it.
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The inability to
smell, we have it.
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There are so many
kinds of diseases, disorders,
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and dysfunctions that doctors
can't keep track of them all.
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But of all the impairments
out there, the one thing
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that I know would be tough
for me would be being blind.
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To have sight
is critical for me.
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If I couldn't smell I
still would be able to see.
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If I couldn't walk, I
still would be able to see.
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If I couldn't talk, I
still would be able to see.
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If I couldn't touch, I
still would be able to see.
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Sight is important to me.
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Jesus and his disciples
are walking through Jerusalem
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and they see a man who is blind.
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The Bible says a man
who's been blind from his birth.
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Now, this is the only
miracle recorded in the Bible
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that expresses that
this impairment of blindness
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existed from the man's birth.
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And because he's been blind
from his birth, the natural
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tendency is to believe
that either he or his parents
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have performed some
grievous sin that caused
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this impairment.
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So the disciples ask
him, Master, who did sin,
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this man or his
parents that he was born blind?
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Because it was a Jewish
belief that all suffering was
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punishment for sin.
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In "The Desire of
Ages" Ellen White says,
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every affliction in Jewish
thought was regarded as penalty
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of some wrongdoing,
either of the sufferer himself,
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or of his parents.
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Some call it the
"where there is woe,
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there is wickedness" syndrome.
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According to the
Talmud, there was no death
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without sin and there was
no suffering without iniquity.
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A sick man does not recover
from sickness until all of
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his sins have been forgiven him.
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Now, we shouldn't
think it strange thatpeople
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would think this way,
because we also subscribe
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to the wages of sin is death.
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That sin has its retribution.
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That you reap what you sow.
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And while we must not ignore
these biblical injunctions,
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we must be careful that we
don't pass judgment on people
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with the improper use of
these statements, recognizing
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that there are literally
thousands of God's children
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who suffer and a
cause can't be traced to it.
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Think about brother Job.
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Job lost all he had.
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Job sought to please God in
everything and in every way,
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but Job suffered greatly
to prove that his faith was
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in God rather than
in material things.
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Which leads to the question,
why do bad things happen
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to good people?
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Why do the wicked prosper?
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What did I do to
deserve the problems I now face?
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Why do I study all night?
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Why don't I
party on Friday night?
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I go to church on Sabbath,
believe in God, pray to God
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every day, and I still struggle
to make C's. And then the person
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down the hall stays out
late, parties all night,
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could care less about
God, but still makes A's.
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Why am I a vegetarian?
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I don't eat fried foods.
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I exercise every day.
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I drink eight
glasses of water every day.
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But yet I contract cancer
and the person down the street
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drinks and smokes and
eats any and every thing
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and they've got a
clear bill of health.
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Why am I the one born blind?
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Now, if this man was blind
as a result of his own sin,
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then he must have
sinned before he was born,
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in as much as his blindness
existed before his birth.
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But that couldn't be the
case, because how can one sin
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before one had life?
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So then maybe it
had to be generational.
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Because the Bible does say that
the Lord visits the iniquity
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of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth
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generation of
them that hate him.
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Yes, in case you didn't
know, there is a thing called
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generational curses.
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Children often do
suffer the consequences
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of their parents' wrongdoing,
but understand, they are not
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punished for the parents' guilt.
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Like Ellen White
puts it, she said,
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suffering is inflicted by
Satan, but is overruled by God
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for purposes of mercy.
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So, why is there
sickness and suffering?
00:06:02.03\00:06:05.13
Bottom line, we are a fallen
people living in a fallen world.
00:06:05.13\00:06:09.93
Stop blaming
yourself for something you
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had no responsibility for.
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Stop blaming people for
stuff that they had nothing
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to do with.
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Sometimes, as I've learned
in life, bad things happen
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to good people.
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The rain falls on
the just and the unjust.
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Now, there are two kinds
of blindness in this story.
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One is of the man who was
born with a physical defect
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of blindness.
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The other is of religious
folk who had a spiritual defect
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and were spiritually blind.
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Spiritual blindness is
worse than physical blindness.
00:06:41.40\00:06:44.40
Physical blindness can be
healed, but spiritual blindness
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resists healing.
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Jesus said, neither
hath this man sinned,
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nor his parents, but as a result
of his suffering, the works,
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hallelujah, of God will
be made manifest in him.
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In other words, you'll bleed
a little while, you'll suffer
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a little while, you'll
get hurt a little while,
00:07:05.86\00:07:09.06
but you will get up.
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Sometimes you have to go
through something in order
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to get something.
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You can't have a
testimony without a test.
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You can't have it.
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This man didn't sin
and neither did his parents
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for that the works of
God might be made manifest
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in him.
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You know what, you
all, let me confess.
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I love Jesus.
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Maybe you don't love
him, but I love me some Jesus.
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Notice they say and ask
this question, but Jesus
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says that the works of
God might be made manifest.
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Jesus did not explain the
cause of the man's affliction,
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he just told them
what would be the result.
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In other words, Jesus says,
look, I'm not here to debate
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with you about how he got sick.
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I'm just here to tell you
what I'm getting ready to do.
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I'm just here to
tell you that God's about
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to be glorified, the
devil is about to be horrified,
00:08:00.16\00:08:03.70
and this man is
about to be edified.
00:08:03.70\00:08:07.50
Jesus spits on the
ground, he makes mud,
00:08:07.50\00:08:12.10
puts mud in his hands
and rubs them together.
00:08:12.10\00:08:16.30
He then puts mud on the man's
eyes, anoints the man's eyes,
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and then he says, go
wash in the pool of Siloam.
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Now, go with me
in your mind's eye.
00:08:23.33\00:08:27.13
Imagine that you're
blind and you hear of this man
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whom you don't know,
whom you've never seen,
00:08:31.80\00:08:34.50
and you hear that he can
heal you, but you go to him
00:08:34.50\00:08:37.23
and he spits on the
ground, rubs mud together,
00:08:37.23\00:08:40.20
and then he puts it on your
eyes and tells you to go wash
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in a pool somewhere.
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You would think
the man was crazy.
00:08:48.00\00:08:52.33
Most times when you're sick
and you're trying to get well,
00:08:52.33\00:08:57.10
you expect to do
things that make you better,
00:08:57.10\00:08:59.40
not make you feel
worse before you get better.
00:08:59.40\00:09:02.80
When you have a headache
and you take an aspirin,
00:09:02.80\00:09:04.80
it's supposed to get you
better before it gets you worse.
00:09:04.80\00:09:07.80
But somebody knows, sometimes
it gets worse before it gets
00:09:07.80\00:09:10.80
better, and I'm learned
sometimes in this Christian
00:09:10.80\00:09:12.80
walk, it gets worse
before it gets better.
00:09:12.80\00:09:16.73
In fact, better is relative.
00:09:16.73\00:09:20.40
Better is how you view it.
00:09:20.40\00:09:22.93
Your worse may
be somebody's best.
00:09:22.93\00:09:25.96
And somebody's best
just might be your worst.
00:09:25.96\00:09:30.20
I can't explain today,
friends of mine, why Jesus spits
00:09:30.20\00:09:35.03
on the ground and
makes mud out of his saliva.
00:09:35.03\00:09:39.30
I can't explain to you why
Jesus sends this man to the pool
00:09:39.30\00:09:43.50
of Siloam when he heals
so many with just one touch
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and one word.
00:09:47.16\00:09:48.76
I can't explain why
Jesus couldn't look at the man
00:09:48.76\00:09:51.50
and tell the
man, man, be healed.
00:09:51.50\00:09:53.93
I cannot explain Jesus' method
of healing, but sometimes,
00:09:53.93\00:09:58.80
I've learned, that God's
way of healing is not your
00:09:58.80\00:10:01.96
chosen way of healing.
00:10:01.96\00:10:03.23
Sometimes God's way of bringing
you out is not the way you would
00:10:03.23\00:10:07.80
have chosen to come out,
because sometimes you've got
00:10:07.80\00:10:09.80
to get mud on your face.
00:10:09.80\00:10:11.80
Sometimes you're laughed at.
00:10:14.46\00:10:16.06
Sometimes you're criticized.
00:10:16.06\00:10:19.00
But let me tell you something,
you better learn just to be
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thankful that
he brought you out.
00:10:21.20\00:10:23.40
Quit worrying about how he
brought you out, just praise God
00:10:23.40\00:10:26.50
he brought you out.
00:10:26.50\00:10:27.96
Can we be real today?
00:10:27.96\00:10:30.00
It's easier to love God
when God does what we want.
00:10:30.00\00:10:34.46
But what about those times when
God doesn't do what we want?
00:10:34.46\00:10:39.63
It's easy to praise God
when the sun is shining,
00:10:39.63\00:10:45.76
the birds are singing,
and the money is flowing.
00:10:45.76\00:10:49.23
But what about the times
when the rain is falling,
00:10:49.23\00:10:52.26
the lions are
growling, your money is funny,
00:10:52.26\00:10:55.30
your change is strange,
and your credit can't get it?
00:10:55.30\00:10:57.86
What about those times when
you're sick and you just can't
00:10:57.86\00:11:01.30
get well?
00:11:01.30\00:11:02.86
What about those times
when you've got more malt
00:11:02.86\00:11:05.10
than you have money?
00:11:05.10\00:11:06.10
What about those
times when you're blind?
00:11:06.10\00:11:08.33
Let me tell you
something, you better learn how
00:11:08.33\00:11:10.33
to trust God.
00:11:10.33\00:11:11.33
You better learn how to have
faith in God and learn he may
00:11:11.33\00:11:16.53
not come when you want him,
but he's always right on time.
00:11:16.53\00:11:20.90
Somebody knows that
his ways are not my ways.
00:11:20.90\00:11:24.46
His thoughts
are not my thoughts.
00:11:24.46\00:11:27.10
God is God.
00:11:27.10\00:11:28.10
Which means God can deviate
from the conventional acceptable
00:11:28.10\00:11:31.80
methods that are easily
misunderstood by the majority.
00:11:31.80\00:11:35.83
God is not limited by you or me.
00:11:35.83\00:11:38.10
God is not limited
by anything or anyone.
00:11:38.10\00:11:40.66
God touched the leper.
00:11:40.66\00:11:42.13
God spoke to a donkey.
00:11:42.13\00:11:43.70
God forgave a man's
sins to forgive healing.
00:11:43.70\00:11:46.50
God put air conditioning
in a fiery, burning furnace.
00:11:46.50\00:11:49.40
God had more medicine
in the hem of his garment
00:11:49.40\00:11:51.73
than any doctor anywhere.
00:11:51.73\00:11:53.26
God took a dead girl by the hand
and raised that dead girl up.
00:11:53.26\00:11:56.53
God stood in front of Lazarus'
grave and called Lazarus out.
00:11:56.53\00:11:59.80
God stood over Peter's
mother-in-law and healed her
00:11:59.80\00:12:02.50
raging fever.
00:12:02.50\00:12:03.50
God spoke to the winds and
to the waves and just said,
00:12:03.50\00:12:05.83
peace, be still.
00:12:05.83\00:12:09.80
This is the same God
who laid down his life
00:12:09.80\00:12:12.10
and took it up again.
00:12:12.10\00:12:13.30
God can do what he
wants, when he wants,
00:12:13.30\00:12:17.76
where he wants,
and how he wants.
00:12:17.76\00:12:19.93
God is God.
00:12:19.93\00:12:21.36
The way God brings you out
may not be the way you want
00:12:21.36\00:12:25.03
to come out,
but just be thankful
00:12:25.03\00:12:27.03
you came out.
00:12:27.03\00:12:28.03
You've got to have faith.
00:12:28.03\00:12:30.40
You have to
learn to trust in God.
00:12:30.40\00:12:34.10
Through it all, I've
learned to trust in Jesus.
00:12:34.10\00:12:37.63
I've learned to trust in God.
00:12:37.63\00:12:40.10
Faith is believing
what you can't see.
00:12:40.10\00:12:43.16
Sometimes you have to believe
God for something when you have
00:12:43.16\00:12:47.50
no point of reference.
00:12:47.50\00:12:49.13
Think about it, you all.
00:12:49.13\00:12:51.40
If the man had been born
with eyesight, if the man
00:12:51.40\00:12:55.16
had been born where he
could see and then gone blind,
00:12:55.16\00:12:58.16
then at least he would
have had a point of reference
00:12:58.16\00:13:00.23
of what it would have
been like to see, but you can't
00:13:00.23\00:13:02.23
miss what you've never had.
00:13:02.23\00:13:03.23
And because the man was born
blind, he has to believe God for
00:13:03.23\00:13:10.13
something for which he
has no point of reference.
00:13:10.13\00:13:15.16
He had to have faith.
00:13:15.16\00:13:16.56
Now, faith is the
substance of things hoped for,
00:13:16.56\00:13:20.43
the evidence of things not seen.
00:13:20.43\00:13:23.13
Without faith it is
impossible to please God.
00:13:23.13\00:13:26.30
God is the reward of
those that diligently seek him.
00:13:26.30\00:13:29.10
Faith cometh by hearing
and hearing by the Word of God.
00:13:29.10\00:13:33.56
So, all of a
sudden, all the people
00:13:33.56\00:13:37.16
in the city see
this former blind man
00:13:37.16\00:13:41.20
who can now see.
00:13:41.20\00:13:43.03
And so they begin to
talk among themselves.
00:13:43.03\00:13:45.40
You know how we do.
00:13:45.40\00:13:46.53
We begin to
murmur amongst ourselves.
00:13:46.53\00:13:49.30
Is this the same man we knew?
00:13:49.30\00:13:52.83
No, it's not the same man.
00:13:52.83\00:13:54.26
It can't be the same man.
00:13:54.26\00:13:55.83
He just looks like that man.
00:13:55.83\00:13:58.06
No, I believe it's him.
00:13:58.06\00:14:00.23
I believe it looks like him.
00:14:00.23\00:14:01.93
He has hair like the other man.
00:14:01.93\00:14:03.60
He has a nose
like the other man.
00:14:03.60\00:14:05.96
Man, how did you
get your eyes open?
00:14:05.96\00:14:09.03
How are you now able to see?
00:14:10.23\00:14:12.33
Man, who did this for you?
00:14:12.33\00:14:16.56
Man replied,
the man named Jesus.
00:14:16.56\00:14:21.23
I've never seen him in my life.
00:14:21.23\00:14:24.16
When he healed me, all he did
was put mud on my eyes and he
00:14:24.16\00:14:28.60
told me to go down
to that pool and wash.
00:14:28.60\00:14:31.43
I did what he told me
to do and now I can see.
00:14:31.43\00:14:36.96
I didn't see him when
he told me what to do.
00:14:36.96\00:14:39.96
I just went and
washed like he told me to do.
00:14:39.96\00:14:42.13
Where is the man now?
00:14:42.13\00:14:44.16
I don't know
where the man is now.
00:14:44.16\00:14:46.80
I'm trying to tell you, I just
did what the man told me to do.
00:14:46.80\00:14:51.46
So, because the man can't
answer them, they take the man
00:14:51.46\00:14:57.30
to the Pharisees.
00:14:57.30\00:14:58.90
They will get an
answer from the man.
00:14:58.90\00:15:02.60
Let me pause here.
00:15:02.60\00:15:05.20
Why can't people
just be happy for the man?
00:15:05.20\00:15:12.83
Why can't the people
just rejoice in his healing?
00:15:12.83\00:15:17.80
No, they've got to
know who healed him,
00:15:17.80\00:15:22.40
when he healed
him, why he healed him,
00:15:22.40\00:15:27.13
where he healed him,
and how he healed him.
00:15:27.13\00:15:31.06
They just can't
be happy for him.
00:15:31.06\00:15:36.46
How did they do it?
00:15:36.46\00:15:38.46
When did they do it?
00:15:39.80\00:15:40.80
Where did they do it?
00:15:40.80\00:15:42.50
So they've got to drag
him down to the Pharisees
00:15:42.50\00:15:45.50
and that's just like people.
00:15:45.50\00:15:46.50
I've learned firsthand.
00:15:46.50\00:15:47.50
Everybody does not
joy in your success.
00:15:47.50\00:15:50.50
There are some people who
pray, p-r-a-y, and p-r-e-y
00:15:52.20\00:15:55.53
on your demise.
00:15:55.53\00:15:58.96
Oh, I wish I had
time in this place today.
00:15:58.96\00:16:01.43
You all like that,
because that's bowling down
00:16:01.43\00:16:05.56
somebody's alley.
00:16:05.56\00:16:06.66
In fact, the best moments
in your life often produce
00:16:06.66\00:16:09.50
jealousy and envy in
somebody else's life.
00:16:09.50\00:16:12.46
Tell the truth.
00:16:12.46\00:16:14.33
Shame the devil.
00:16:14.33\00:16:16.33
There's nothing that gets
on your nerves more than seeing
00:16:16.33\00:16:19.23
somebody do what you've always
wanted to do or get what you've
00:16:19.23\00:16:23.30
always wanted to get.
00:16:23.30\00:16:24.30
But you know what?
00:16:24.30\00:16:25.33
Don't hate the player.
00:16:25.33\00:16:27.96
Hate the game and learn to
be a cheerleader, because if God
00:16:27.96\00:16:32.46
is blessing somebody else,
you need to learn how to cheer
00:16:32.46\00:16:35.60
for them, because God
must be in the neighborhood,
00:16:35.60\00:16:38.60
because it's
just a matter of time.
00:16:38.60\00:16:40.60
Oh, I wish I had a
witness in this place.
00:16:40.60\00:16:42.80
It's just a matter of
time before God blesses you.
00:16:42.80\00:16:47.06
And here go the Pharisees.
00:16:51.16\00:16:53.16
You know us --I
mean, you know them.
00:16:55.13\00:16:58.10
Can't sing.
00:16:58.10\00:17:01.20
Can't smile.
00:17:01.20\00:17:06.26
Can't speak.
00:17:06.26\00:17:08.03
shake my hand
say, happy Sabbath.
00:17:08.03\00:17:09.23
You ain't happy
about it, be quiet.
00:17:09.23\00:17:13.03
Can't shake hands.
00:17:13.03\00:17:14.30
Can't do this, can't do that.
00:17:14.30\00:17:16.30
Find fault in everything.
00:17:16.30\00:17:17.70
Here, go the Pharisees.
00:17:17.70\00:17:20.46
The Pharisees hate on the man
and began to question the man,
00:17:20.46\00:17:22.76
too.
00:17:22.76\00:17:23.76
They want to know how
he received his sight.
00:17:23.76\00:17:25.76
They want to know who healed
him and they want to know what
00:17:25.76\00:17:28.76
the man believes about Jesus.
00:17:28.76\00:17:30.13
So they tell the man that Jesus
cannot possibly be from God,
00:17:30.13\00:17:32.00
because he broke the
religious law and healed the man
00:17:32.00\00:17:34.13
on the Sabbath. Verse 16,
This is what they say, this man
00:17:34.13\00:17:40.00
is not of God because he
doesn't keep the Sabbath.
00:17:40.00\00:17:43.20
How can a sinner
do such miracles?
00:17:43.20\00:17:46.36
But the real deal is
the Pharisees are mad,
00:17:46.36\00:17:48.50
because they want the
source of the man's healing
00:17:48.50\00:17:50.56
and couldn't claim rights to it.
00:17:50.56\00:17:52.56
Think about it, you all.
00:17:52.56\00:17:55.16
If Jesus had sent the
man to the Pharisees instead
00:17:55.16\00:17:57.80
of the pool, they
would have been fine.
00:17:57.80\00:18:00.36
No discussion, no
debates, no questioning.
00:18:00.36\00:18:03.73
But because Jesus
didn't use them, because Jesus
00:18:03.73\00:18:08.56
didn't ask them, because
Jesus didn't consult them,
00:18:08.56\00:18:13.56
they had a problem.
00:18:13.56\00:18:16.06
And that's just like some of us.
00:18:16.06\00:18:18.30
When we're not
consulted on a decision,
00:18:18.30\00:18:20.93
when we're not in the
loop, when we're not a part
00:18:20.93\00:18:23.30
of the so-called in crowd,
and I'm still trying to find
00:18:23.30\00:18:26.30
out who's the in crowd.
00:18:26.30\00:18:27.63
I hear people say all the
time, you know who they are,
00:18:27.63\00:18:31.76
Pastor Byrd.
00:18:31.76\00:18:32.76
You know the in crowd.
00:18:32.76\00:18:33.76
You know who they are.
00:18:33.76\00:18:34.76
They're your people.
00:18:34.76\00:18:35.76
What do you mean my people?
00:18:35.76\00:18:36.76
Everybody is my people.
00:18:36.76\00:18:38.70
But when we're not a
part of it, there's a problem.
00:18:38.70\00:18:41.70
And so what people will
do, I've learned, they will try
00:18:41.70\00:18:43.70
to minimize you because they
think it will maximize them.
00:18:43.70\00:18:46.70
And that's why I love
Jesus, because Jesus has a way
00:18:49.30\00:18:52.63
of using people and
a way of using methods
00:18:52.63\00:18:55.06
that other people don't
like so you can't get the credit
00:18:55.06\00:18:57.63
for their healing.
00:18:57.63\00:18:59.63
This man is not of God
because he doesn't keep
00:19:01.60\00:19:04.20
the Sabbath, so how could a
sinner perform such miracles?
00:19:04.20\00:19:09.06
While they
appeared wonderfully zealous
00:19:09.06\00:19:13.66
for the
observance of the Sabbath,
00:19:13.66\00:19:15.93
yet they were
planning murder that very day.
00:19:15.93\00:19:18.93
But if you study the Word of God
carefully, you will understand
00:19:20.33\00:19:23.33
that to heal the
sick man was not a breach
00:19:23.33\00:19:25.86
of the divine
law of the Sabbath.
00:19:25.86\00:19:27.86
In finding fault with
our Lord for such a breach,
00:19:27.86\00:19:30.26
the Pharisees, in
fact, showed their ignorance
00:19:30.26\00:19:32.50
at the law they
were supposed to observe.
00:19:32.50\00:19:34.93
Remember, it was Jesus,when he
began his ministry, who healed
00:19:34.93\00:19:37.90
the man with the withered hand,
who told the Pharisees early on
00:19:37.90\00:19:40.73
that it was lawful to
do good on the Sabbath.
00:19:40.73\00:19:43.10
The Pharisees
totally missed the point
00:19:43.10\00:19:45.56
that the man's
healing was the miracle.
00:19:45.56\00:19:48.40
Ellen White says
in "Desire of Ages,"
00:19:48.40\00:19:50.40
she says they were
more than filled with hatred
00:19:50.40\00:19:53.93
for the miracle had been
performed on the Sabbath Day.
00:19:53.93\00:19:58.16
Let me be clear with you all.
00:19:58.16\00:19:59.60
I wish Jesus would
walk up in here and I wish
00:19:59.60\00:20:02.83
he would come up here
on the Sabbath Day and look
00:20:02.83\00:20:05.56
at Sister Allison and
say, Sister Allison, rise,
00:20:05.56\00:20:09.16
get up and walk.
00:20:09.16\00:20:11.96
I would jump
all over this place.
00:20:11.96\00:20:20.10
Don't be so heavenly minded
that you're no earthly good.
00:20:20.10\00:20:22.16
But it doesn't
matter to the Pharisees.
00:20:22.16\00:20:29.00
The only thing they can do
it criticize Jesus for healing
00:20:29.00\00:20:31.80
on the Sabbath.
00:20:31.80\00:20:33.80
Are you so caught up in
legalism that you forget love?
00:20:35.23\00:20:39.23
Are you so caught up in religion
that you forget it's all about
00:20:40.36\00:20:44.36
a relationship?
00:20:44.36\00:20:45.36
Are you so caught up in reciting
the 23rd Psalm that you really
00:20:45.36\00:20:48.36
don't know the Shepherd?
00:20:48.36\00:20:49.36
That you're in the sanctuary,
but you don't have God's spirit?
00:20:49.36\00:20:53.60
That you know the Lord's prayer,
but you don't know the Lord?
00:20:53.60\00:20:59.96
The Pharisees can't
get an answer from the man,
00:20:59.96\00:21:04.36
so the Bible then says
they go to his parents.
00:21:04.36\00:21:09.83
That's just like some
folk, they don't believe
00:21:09.83\00:21:13.06
your miracle is real.
00:21:13.06\00:21:14.06
They think it's phony and fake.
00:21:14.06\00:21:16.26
They try to
falsify your miracle.
00:21:16.26\00:21:18.26
Like the
Pharisees, they'd rather deny
00:21:18.26\00:21:20.60
the evidence of
their own senses than admit
00:21:20.60\00:21:22.86
they were in error.
00:21:22.86\00:21:24.86
I'm 41 now, you all, and
I've learned in these 41 years,
00:21:26.53\00:21:34.06
you can't explain
the goodness of God.
00:21:34.06\00:21:38.16
You cannot explain
the miracle-working power
00:21:38.16\00:21:42.70
of God.
00:21:42.70\00:21:43.70
And you know what?
00:21:43.70\00:21:44.70
You don't have to,
because that's what
00:21:44.70\00:21:48.13
a miracle is.
00:21:48.13\00:21:49.13
A surprising and welcoming
event that is not explainable
00:21:49.13\00:21:53.56
by natural or scientific laws,
which means it's can only be
00:21:53.56\00:21:57.23
the Divine.
00:21:57.23\00:21:58.23
I don't know about you,
but there are some things
00:21:58.23\00:22:02.03
in life that all I
can say is, look at God.
00:22:02.03\00:22:04.93
Anybody know what
I'm talking about?
00:22:04.93\00:22:08.06
Where it was just God?
00:22:08.06\00:22:10.70
Anybody believe--let me
preach to you all--anybody still
00:22:10.70\00:22:13.23
believe in miracles?
00:22:13.23\00:22:14.80
Anybody still believe
that God can work miracles?
00:22:14.80\00:22:18.33
Woke you up this morning.
00:22:18.33\00:22:19.76
Started you on your way.
00:22:19.76\00:22:22.56
Gave you a job you
weren't applying for.
00:22:22.56\00:22:24.76
The job found you.
00:22:24.76\00:22:26.46
The tumor in your body, instead
of growing, it's now shrinking.
00:22:26.46\00:22:30.63
Sent you a refund
check in the mail.
00:22:30.63\00:22:34.50
Somebody placed a
$20 bill in your pocket
00:22:36.53\00:22:39.06
just when you needed
it and they didn't know
00:22:39.06\00:22:41.33
about your situation.
00:22:41.33\00:22:42.70
How about this, driving
down the street, driving down
00:22:42.70\00:22:45.76
University Drive,
and your foot for some
00:22:45.76\00:22:47.96
reason pushed the brake
instead of the gas pedal.
00:22:47.96\00:22:52.20
Only you later find an
oncoming car who didn't brake
00:22:52.20\00:22:55.03
coming across the street.
00:22:55.03\00:22:56.70
Brought your child
or your grandchild back
00:22:56.70\00:22:58.70
to the Lord off the
street dealing drugs,
00:22:58.70\00:23:01.33
people and alcohol.
00:23:01.33\00:23:02.33
Look at God.
00:23:02.33\00:23:03.33
I cannot explain
the goodness of God.
00:23:03.33\00:23:08.33
And that's all right
that I can't explain it.
00:23:08.33\00:23:11.16
But when I think of the goodness
of Jesus and all he's done
00:23:11.16\00:23:15.90
for me, my soul cries
out hallelujah, thank God
00:23:15.90\00:23:22.93
for saving me.
00:23:22.93\00:23:23.93
Does anybody know he's good?
00:23:23.93\00:23:25.10
The Pharisees, they don't
believe the man was healed.
00:23:25.10\00:23:33.43
So they now
question his parents.
00:23:33.43\00:23:37.06
And the good thing is,
think about this story,
00:23:37.06\00:23:39.60
they've gone from questioning
and talking to the man
00:23:39.60\00:23:44.03
to talking to the multitude.
00:23:44.03\00:23:45.83
Now they talk to his parents.
00:23:45.83\00:23:47.46
And what the
Pharisees don't realize is that
00:23:47.46\00:23:50.26
the more they talk
the greater the publicity
00:23:50.26\00:23:52.36
they're giving to the
works and miracles of Jesus.
00:23:52.36\00:23:54.60
Because all the while
they're talking people
00:23:54.60\00:23:57.00
are now gathering all around.
00:23:57.00\00:24:00.10
They think they're hurting
things, but they don't realize
00:24:00.10\00:24:03.16
they're actually helping things.
00:24:03.16\00:24:05.16
And so they ask the man's
parents, is this your son?
00:24:05.16\00:24:11.16
Is this the one you
said was born blind?
00:24:11.16\00:24:14.50
How is it that now he can see?
00:24:14.50\00:24:17.93
Trembling and
fearful, the Bible says,
00:24:17.93\00:24:19.93
because they were
afraid they would be put out
00:24:19.93\00:24:21.93
of the church, his parents
answered, we know he is our son
00:24:21.93\00:24:26.50
and we know he was born blind.
00:24:26.50\00:24:30.60
Now, this is the point
that the Pharisees were hoping
00:24:30.60\00:24:33.73
could be proved untrue
because their earlier attempt
00:24:33.73\00:24:36.30
to invalidate the
miracle had failed.
00:24:36.30\00:24:38.56
We know he is our son.
00:24:38.56\00:24:42.33
We know he was born blind.
00:24:42.33\00:24:46.33
But how he can see or who
opened his eyes, we don't know.
00:24:46.33\00:24:53.26
But ask him.
00:24:53.26\00:24:55.83
He's of age.
00:24:55.83\00:24:59.13
He can speak for himself.
00:24:59.13\00:25:02.03
Before I go on.
00:25:05.20\00:25:06.20
Poor parents.
00:25:06.20\00:25:08.70
Fear of being put out
of the church led them to
00:25:08.70\00:25:12.66
cover up the truth.
00:25:12.66\00:25:14.86
They're afraid, so
they're going to pass the buck
00:25:14.86\00:25:17.86
and shift all responsibilities
from themselves to their son.
00:25:17.86\00:25:22.23
So they're rather lie
than be disfellowshipped
00:25:22.23\00:25:25.06
from the church.
00:25:25.06\00:25:27.06
But let me tell you something.
00:25:30.50\00:25:32.63
I'd rather be in a
storm with Jesus than in be
00:25:32.63\00:25:37.00
sunshine with man.
00:25:37.00\00:25:40.16
So the Pharisees go back
to the man a second time.
00:25:40.16\00:25:43.60
Quit giving this man credit.
00:25:43.60\00:25:46.16
Stop giving this man
who healed you or claimed
00:25:46.16\00:25:48.36
to heal you credit.
00:25:48.36\00:25:49.40
This man you're
talking about is a sinner.
00:25:49.40\00:25:53.76
Give God the praise.
00:25:53.76\00:25:59.50
Then, my favorite
partp of the story,
00:25:59.50\00:26:02.83
I end where I began.
00:26:02.83\00:26:07.76
The man's response reveals
the man's remarkable shrewdness.
00:26:07.76\00:26:13.90
He refuses to
argue about whether Jesus
00:26:13.90\00:26:16.90
was even a sinner or not.
00:26:16.90\00:26:18.56
He just bases his testimony
on indisputable evidence.
00:26:18.56\00:26:25.46
The man says, I don't
know where he came from.
00:26:25.46\00:26:32.50
I don't know if
he's a saint or a sinner.
00:26:32.50\00:26:36.43
I don't know if he
goes to church or not.
00:26:36.43\00:26:39.50
I don't know what
school he went to.
00:26:39.50\00:26:43.40
I don't know if
he went to Harvard.
00:26:43.40\00:26:46.50
I don't know if he went to MIT.
00:26:46.50\00:26:49.30
I don't kn if
he knows Ben Carson
00:26:49.30\00:26:51.30
and went to Johns Hopkins.
00:26:51.30\00:26:52.56
I don't know if he
went to Norfolk State.
00:26:52.56\00:26:55.63
I don't know if he
went to Loma Linda.
00:26:55.63\00:26:57.63
I don't know if
he went to Andrews.
00:26:57.63\00:26:59.86
I don't even know
if he went to Oakwood.
00:26:59.86\00:27:01.93
All I know is that I was blind,
00:27:01.93\00:27:07.93
you all don't hear
me, all that I know is
00:27:11.00\00:27:13.00
that I was blind, but now I see.
00:27:13.00\00:27:15.00
>: The Breath of Life gift
offer this week is "Surprised by
00:27:15.00\00:27:18.00
Love," by pastor and
international speaker
00:27:18.00\00:27:20.00
Elizabeth Viera Talbot.
00:27:20.00\00:27:21.00
Find out how people in the Bible
were surprised by God's love.
00:27:21.00\00:27:24.00
Adam and Eve were surprised.
00:27:24.00\00:27:25.23
The deceitful
serpent and the Pharisees
00:27:25.23\00:27:27.43
were surprised.
00:27:27.43\00:27:28.43
It surprised the disciples
and even the heavenly angels.
00:27:28.43\00:27:31.03
And God's surprises of love
continue all around us today.
00:27:31.03\00:27:35.23
Join with Elizabeth as you get a
fresh view of the greatest story
00:27:35.23\00:27:39.23
ever told.
00:27:39.23\00:27:40.23
From the kidnapping of
God's children to the rescue,
00:27:40.23\00:27:42.23
from the ransom to the reunion.
00:27:42.23\00:27:44.23
"Surprised by Love"
is yours for a gift of $5
00:27:44.23\00:27:46.46
or more.
00:27:46.46\00:27:47.46
Please call our toll
free number 877-BOL-OFFER.
00:27:47.46\00:27:50.46
That's 877-265-6333.
00:27:50.46\00:27:51.46
Please have your credit
card ready when you call.
00:27:51.46\00:27:56.30
Or you may write us
to request your copy.
00:27:56.30\00:27:59.66
Please send your check to
Breath of Life, P.O. Box 340,
00:27:59.66\00:28:03.00
Newbury Park, California 91319.
00:28:03.00\00:28:06.10
Get your copy of
"Surprised by Love" today.
00:28:06.10\00:28:09.16
Be encouraged and
touched by the unexpected rescue
00:28:09.16\00:28:12.03
God's childre PB:
Are you so caught up
00:28:12.03\00:28:15.76
in religion that you forget
it's all about a relationship?
00:28:15.76\00:28:19.66
Are you so caught up
in reciting the 23rd Psalm
00:28:19.66\00:28:21.90
that you really
don't know the Shepherd?
00:28:21.90\00:28:24.36
That you're in the sanctuary,
but you don't have God's spirit?
00:28:24.36\00:28:27.56
That you know the Lord's prayer,
00:28:27.56\00:28:28.56