Participants: Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000202
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00:02 MUST DEPEND ON PUBLIC WELFARE;
00:04 YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A NUMBER. 00:06 WHEN YOU RUN INTO A PROBLEM IN 00:07 THE COURTHOUSE YOU'VE GOT TO 00:09 COME IN WITH A CASE NUMBER. 00:10 IN FACT, EVEN WHEN YOU DIE, 00:12 YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A GRAVE PLOT NUMBER. 00:16 NUMBERS; BUT IN THE SIGHT OF 00:18 JESUS, I AM NOT A NUMBER. 00:24 I'M SOMEBODY. 00:26 ♪ PRAISE THE LORD, LET'S JUST PRAISE THE LORD. ♪ 00:31 THIS IS THE BREATH OF LIFE TELEVISION BROADCAST WITH PASTOR WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 00:35 WHEN GOD GETS READY HE CAN DELIVER YOU, 00:38 IF YOU CALL ON HIM, IF YOU TRUST IN HIM. 00:41 ♪ HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE, JESUS IS WORTHY ♪ 00:49 YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOWN FLAT ON YOUR FACE, BUT THE POWER OF GOD WILL LIFT YOU UP. 00:53 ♪ WORTHY OF ALL, ALL THE PRAISE. ♪ 00:59 TONIGHT WE GO TO THE BIBLE ONCE AGAIN 01:01 TO FIND THE POWERFUL JESUS. 01:05 I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, 01:06 BUT SOMETIMES WHEN I THINK 01:08 ABOUT HOW POWERFUL JESUS IS, I LOSE MY FEAR FOR ANY PROBLEM THAT FACES ME. 01:14 THAT'S THE CONSOLATION THAT WE HAVE. 01:18 BEFORE WE GO TO THE WORD OF GOD TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BOW OUR HEADS ONCE AGAIN AS WE PRAY. 01:24 FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE OPEN THY WORD TONIGHT UNDERSTANDING 01:27 THAT ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ABLE TO INTERPRET THE WORD. 01:33 THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN SENT TO GUIDE US INTO ALL TRUTH. 01:37 NOW TONIGHT, FATHER, AS WE OPEN THY WORD, 01:40 SOMEHOW HIDE THE SPEAKER SO THAT JESUS CAN BE SEEN. 01:45 LET MY WORDS EVAPORATE SO THAT THE WORD OF GOD CAN BE MADE PLAIN. 01:50 LET MY PRESENCE MEAN NOTHING, 01:53 SO THAT GOD'S PRESENCE CAN MEAN EVERYTHING. 01:56 AND WE SHALL GIVE THANKS, AND PRAISE, AND HONOR TO THY NAME, 02:00 FOR IT IS IN THE SWEET AND HOLY NAME OF JESUS THAT WE PRAY, 02:04 LET EVERYONE SAY, AMEN. 02:07 TONIGHT I WOULD ASK YOU TO TURN WITH ME TO THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF THE BOOK OF LUKE 02:12 AND THERE YOU WILL FIND THE STORY THAT SOME PEOPLE PERHAPS READ WITHOUT SEEING THE POWER. 02:21 BUT, I BELIEVE IT'S THERE, AND I PRAY BY GOD'S GRACE THAT YOU 02:24 WILL AGREE WITH ME BEFORE THE NEXT FEW MINUTES TRANSPIRE. 02:30 IF I START IN VERSE 43 OF LUKE CHAPTER 8, I READ THIS: 03:19 I'VE ENTITLED OUR STUDY FOR THIS EVENING, FOR THIS OCCASION, 03:24 "A WOMAN NAMED SOMEBODY". 03:28 THE FACT IS THAT YOU CAN READ IN THE BIBLE AND YOU WILL NOT FIND THE WOMAN'S NAME. 03:36 SHE IS KNOWN BY HER PROBLEM, 03:39 SHE IS KNOWN BY HER SITUATION, 03:42 BUT THE BIBLE DOESN'T TAKE THE TIME TO MENTION HER NAME. 03:46 IN FACT, SHE IS PRACTICALLY ANONYMOUS 03:50 EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT HER PROBLEM. 03:55 SHE IS KNOWN, IF YOU PLEASE, NOT BY HER NAME, BUT BY HER PROBLEM. 04:03 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HER ILLNESS WAS ONE THAT ROBBED HER OF ALL OF HER MONEY. 04:12 NOW FOLK, LET'S GET REAL HERE. 04:15 NOATTER WHAT YOUR PRLEM IS, IF IT MAKES YOU POOR, 04:19 NOW YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER PROBLEM. 04:22 THERE ARE MANY BIBLE SCHOLARS WHO HAVE GONE TO LOOK AT THIS 04:27 AND HAVE COME AWAY SAYING THAT THE WOMAN MAY HAVE HAD THIS OR THE OTHER MALADY. 04:32 THE FACT IS THAT HER PROBLEM WAS A SENSITIVE ONE, 04:36 PERHAPS ONE THAT WAS CONNECTED WITH HER GENDER 04:41 AND PERHAPS ONE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DISCUSS WITH EVERYBODY. 04:45 I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO SAY THAT WHEN YOUR PROBLEM IS SENSITIVE, 04:51 JESUS IS SENSITIVE ENOUGH NOT TO BROADCAST IT EVERYWHERE. 04:59 IN FACT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SITUATION, AS WE WILL DO VERY CLOSELY, 05:04 YOU WILL DISCOVER THAT THIS WOMAN WAS NOT GIVEN THE IMPRESSION THAT SHE OUGHT TO 05:08 GO EVERYWHERE TELLING EVERYBODY WHAT HER PROBLEM WAS. 05:11 SOMETIMES THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE ARE NOT ONES THAT WE WANT TO SHARE, 05:17 THEY ARE PRIVATE PROBLEMS. 05:20 AND IF I THOUGHT THAT GOD WAS INCLINED TO PUT MY BUSINESS IN THE STREET, 05:28 THEN I'D BE CAREFUL HOW I DEALT WITH GOD. 05:31 BUT I'M SO GLAD TONIGHT THAT I CAN TELL JESUS ALL OF MY PROBLEMS. 05:35 AND WHILE HE IS SENSITIVE TO HELP ME, HE DOES NOT BLAST ME EVERYWHERE. 05:43 AMEN ? 05:45 NOW OF COURSE, THERE ARE FRIENDS WHO WILL LET YOU DOWN IN THAT CATEGORY. 05:49 I AM CAREFUL TO SAY THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL TALK ABOUT YOU NOW 05:54 ON A TELEPHONE THAT CAN HANDLE TWO PEOPLE AT ONE TIME. 05:59 AMEN ? 06:00 YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL NOW. 06:02 FOLKS SAY, "I GOTTA ANOTHER CALL COMING THROUGH." 06:05 THEY MAY BE SHARING THE VERY BUSINESS THAT YOU'RE TELLING THEM 06:09 WITH SOMEBODY WHILE THEY'RE TALKING TO YOU -- EXCUSE THEMSELVES EVERY NOW AND THEN. 06:14 BUT THIS WOMAN'S PROBLEM WAS NOT ONE THAT SHE WANTED TO SHARE WITH EVERYBODY; 06:18 NEVERTHELESS IT WAS A PROBLEM THAT WAS BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE ALL OF HER MONEY. 06:24 NO MATTER WHETHER SHE WAS WEALTHY WHEN SHE STARTED OR WHETHER SHE WAS POOR, 06:28 WHEN YOU HAVE SPENT ALL THAT YOU HAVE ON PHYSICIANS AND HAVE NONE LEFT, 06:33 THEN YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER PROBLEM. 06:35 SAY IF YOU WILL THAT PEOPLE ARE TREATED THE SAME EVERYWHERE, 06:39 AND I WILL DARE TO ARGUE WITH YOU. 06:41 FOR THE FACT IS, THAT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE, AS MUCH AS OTHER PEOPLE DO, 06:45 THERE ARE SOME FOLK WHO LOOK DOWN ON YOU. 06:49 I READ IN THE BIBLE ABOUT A YOUNG MAN THAT IS CALLED THE PRODIGAL SON. 06:56 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WHEN HE HAD SPENT ALL OF HIS SUBSTANCE, 07:00 THEN HIS FRIENDS DESERTED HIM. 07:03 AS LONG AS HE HAD MONEY, HE HAD FRIENDS. 07:05 NOW SOME OF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S STILL TRUE, 07:09 THAT IF PEOPLE EVEN THINK YOU HAVE MONEY. 07:12 I'VE FOUND OUT THAT IF YOU ACT LIKE YOU'VE GOT MONEY, YOU CAN GET SOME FRIENDS. 07:18 THIS WOMAN COULD NOT PUT ON THE PRETENSE ANYMORE, SO LET'S BE CAREFUL. 07:23 THE FIRST PROBLEM THAT SHE HAS IS A PHYSICAL PROBLEM. 07:27 THIS PROBLEM IS AN UNNATURAL LOSS OF BLOOD THAT HAS GONE ON FOR TWELVE YEARS. 07:33 IT'S TOO LONG A TIME TO HAVE A PROBLEM LIKE THAT. 07:36 THERE IS NO REASON TO THINK THAT SHE WAS NOT WEAKENED BY THIS SITUATION. 07:41 THERE IS NO REASON TO THINK THAT SHE WAS NOT TOUCHED IN EVERY PART OF HER LIFE BY IT. 07:46 BUT BECAUSE SHE HAD GONE FROM ONE DOCTOR TO ANOTHER, 07:49 FROM ONE HEALER TO ANOTHER, 07:51 AFTER SHE RAN OUT OF THE OFFICIAL DOCTOR'S OFFICES, 07:55 WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO IMAGINE THAT SHE WENT TO SOME WHO WERE LESS WELL THOUGHT OF. 08:00 BUT SHE GRASPED FOR A STRAW BECAUSE HER PROBLEM WAS 08:04 CAUSING HER TO LOSE VIRTUE IN EVERY SITUATION. 08:08 BUT NOW THE MONEY IS GONE, AND WHEN YOUR MONEY IS GONE, 08:12 YOU ARE LOOKED UPON DIFFERENTLY. 08:14 IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. 08:19 I TALK OFTEN ABOUT A DAY WHEN I WAS DOWNTOWN IN THIS VERY CITY, 08:24 FOUND MYSELF DOWNTOWN WAITING FOR MY WIFE WITH NO MONEY. 08:29 IT'S AMAZING THE THINGS YOU CAN'T DO WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY. 08:35 FIRST THING YOU CAN'T DO IS PARK YOU CAR. 08:40 SO I DROVE AROUND AND AROUND AND AROUND, 08:42 PRAYING THAT SOMEBODY WOULD COME OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND LEAVE SOME TIME ON THE METER. 08:50 THAT'S AN INCONVENIENCE ISN'T IT ? 08:53 THEN WHEN I FINALLY FOUND IT, TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO DO THAT, WHEN I FINALLY FOUND IT 08:56 I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, WENT INTO A SHOP AND AFTER YOU'VE WALKED 09:00 AROUND A COUPLE OF TIMES IN ONE OF THESE STORES, 09:03 SOMEBODY COME UP TO YOU AND SAY WITH A LITTLE URGENCY, 09:06 "MAY I HELP YOU ?" 09:09 WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW IS ARE YOU JUST TAKING UP SPACE 09:11 OR DID YOU COME HERE TO BUY SOMETHING ? 09:14 IT IS AN INCONVENIENCE TO BE WITHOUT MONEY. 09:16 THERE ARE PLACES YOU CAN'T GO, 09:18 THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT DO, 09:19 THERE ARE PLACES YOU CAN'T LIVE, 09:21 THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T WEAR, 09:22 THERE ARE CARS THAT YOU CANNOT DRIVE. 09:24 YOU ARE LIMITED BY IT. 09:26 AND DON'T THINK THAT BECAUSE THIS WAS LONG AGO, 09:28 THIS WOMAN'S LIFE WAS NOT CHANGED BECAUSE HER MONEY WAS GONE. 09:33 BUT IT GETS DEEPER THAN THAT. 09:35 THE WOMAN WAS NOT ONLY CONSIDERED LESS THAN SHE WAS BEFORE, 09:41 BECAUSE HER MONEY WAS GONE, BUT IN THOSE DAYS THERE WERE LAWS CALLED CEREMONIAL LAWS, 09:49 ONE OF WHICH SAID THAT IF YOU HAVE AN ABNORMAL LOSS OF BLOOD, 09:55 THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERED UNCLEAN, 09:58 NOT ONLY FOR THE DURATION OF THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE THE MALADY, 10:01 BUT FOR SEVEN DAYS THEREAFTER, 10:03 AND THEREFORE YOU ARE EXCLUDED FROM PUBLIC WORSHIP. 10:08 NOW FOLKS, IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM, HOW MANY KNOW THE 10:10 PLACE YOU NEED TO BE IS IN GOD'S HOUSE. 10:14 THERE IS JOY IN THE HOUSE OF GOD EVEN IF YOU'RE FLAT BROKE. 10:19 THE FACT IS THAT MAN LOOKS ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, 10:22 BUT GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART. 10:25 YOU MAY GO DOWN TO YOUR LOCAL BANK AND THEY MAY LOOK DOWN ON YOU, 10:29 BUT GOD DOES NOT JUDGE US BY THE CREDIT CARDS THAT FALL OUT OF OUR WALLETS. 10:35 AMEN ? 10:36 HE DOES NOT JUDGE US BY THE MONEY WE HAVE IN SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. 10:39 GOD DOES NOT JUDGE US BY THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE AMASSED, 10:43 HE LOOKS AT ANOTHER LEVEL. 10:46 SO FOR GOD'S SAKE, IF YOU RUN INTO A PROBLEM, 10:49 YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO IN GOD'S HOUSE, 10:51 BUT BECAUSE OF THESE RULES, THESE LAWS SHE'S LOOKED DOWN ON BY SOME PEOPLE 10:58 BECAUSE SHE HAS NO MONEY, AND NOW SHE CAN'T GO TO CHURCH. 11:01 BUT IT WAS A LITTLE MORE ACUTE THAN THAT, 11:05 BECAUSE THIS UNCLEANNESS WAS CONSIDERED TO BE INFECTIOUS IN NATURE, 11:12 IT WAS CONTAGIOUS, SO THAT IF I WERE SEEN WITH SOMEONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, 11:20 I THEN WOULD BECOME UNCLEAN ALSO. 11:24 NOW I KNOW SOME FOLK WHO WILL TREAT YOU LIKE THAT NOW. 11:30 WE DON'T HAVE THOSE KINDS OF RULES ANYMORE, 11:33 BUT IT'S AMAZING, SOME FOLK, AS LONG AS EVERYONE IS SAYING, 11:36 "PRAISE GOD FOR YOU" THEY'LL BE YOUR FRIEND. 11:38 BUT THEN WHEN EVERYBODY TURNS ON YOU, THERE ARE SOME FOLK 11:41 WHO WILL GO ACROSS THE STREET AND GREET YOU THAT WAY. 11:46 THEY ALWAYS GOTTA RUN. 11:50 YOU CALL THEM UP, YOU USED TO 11:52 TALK A LONG TIME, BUT NOW THE WORD IS OUT THAT YOU ARE NOT WHAT THEY THOUGHT YOU WERE. 11:57 AND FRIENDS OF MINE, LET'S BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER, 12:01 NONE OF US TONIGHT, NONE OF US ON THIS OCCASION CAN CLAIM PERFECTION EXCEPT IN JESUS. 12:07 SO WE OUGHT NOT EVER GET TO THE PLACE WHERE WE ACTUALLY LOOK DOWN ON ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. 12:13 GOD'S CHILDREN ARE NOT TO BE JUDGED IN THAT FASHION. 12:19 BUT THIS WOMAN NOW IS PUT IN A SITUATION WHERE SHE CAN'T GO TO CHURCH, 12:22 BUT IF THEY SEE HER ON THE STREET, 12:26 THEY'VE GOT TO BE KIND OF CAREFUL. 12:28 "HOW YA' DOING ?" 12:30 "GOOD TO SEE YA !" 12:32 THEN THEY'VE GOT TO MOVE ON. 12:34 NOW COUNT WITH ME IF YOU WILL, 12:38 THE WOMAN HAS THE ILLNESS THAT WAS LIKE A PEBBLE DROPPED IN THE WATER OF HER LIFE, 12:43 AND ITS RIPPLES BEGAN TO SPREAD. 12:46 BECAUSE OF THE ILLNESS THAT HAS TAKEN SOME OF HER STRENGTH AND VITALITY, NOW SHE'S POOR. 12:53 SHE'S POOR, AND NOW SHE'S EXCLUDED FROM WORSHIP. 12:57 SHE'S EXCLUDED FROM WORSHIP, BUT MORE THAN THAT, 12:59 HER CIRCLE OF FRIENDS BEGINS TO DWINDLE 13:02 BECAUSE IF YOU GET CLOSE TO HER, YOU BECOME UNCLEAN. 13:06 I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I THINK THIS LADY'S GOT A PROBLEM. 13:08 AND THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM 13:13 THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE ? 13:16 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU CAN'T GO TO THE SOURCE ? 13:20 WHEN YOU CAN'T GO TO THE HOUSE OF GOD ? 13:22 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE PEOPLE WHO OUGHT TO BE ON YOUR SIDE TURN AGAINST YOU ? 13:27 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE DOCTORS AT THE SIXTEENTH HOLE OF THE GOLF COURSE 13:33 HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER AND DISCUSSED YOUR CASE 13:35 AND HAVE DETERMINED THAT EITHER YOU HAVE SOME PSYCHOSOMATIC ILLNESS 13:39 OR IT'S GENETIC IN NATURE AND THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO VISIT THEIR OFFICES ANYMORE. 13:44 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU CANNOT GO TO YOUR FRIENDS WHO ARE LONG FRIENDS, LONG STANDING FRIENDS ? 13:50 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU SEEM FORSAKEN ? 13:52 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS TREAT YOU LIKE NOBODY ? 13:57 WHEN THE CHURCH TREATS YOU LIKE NOBODY ? 13:59 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR FRIENDS TREAT YOU LIKE YOU DON'T EXIST ? 14:02 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE FORSAKEN BY EVERYBODY ? 14:07 MY ANSWER IS SIMPLE; 14:09 YOU GO TO SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT THE POWER. 14:16 AND I SUGGEST TO YOU TONIGHT THAT JESUS HAS GOT THE POWER. 14:21 JESUS CAN HANDLE MY CENTRAL PROBLEM. 14:24 JESUS CAN HANDLE MY CENTRAL PROBLEM SO THAT ALL THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT 14:28 HAVE COME RINGING AWAY FROM IT ARE TAKEN CARE OF TOO. 14:32 HE'S GOT THE POWER, THAT'S WHY I PREACH JESUS. 14:37 I PREACH HIM BECAUSE HE'S GOT POWER. 14:39 I'VE READ SOME THEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS THAT SAY 14:45 THAT IT IS SOME EUROPEAN CONSTRUCT THAT GIVES US THIS STRANGE NEW JESUS. 14:52 THIS JESUS WHO IS AN INFLUENCE MEANDERING THROUGH THE MIST OF NOWHERE. 14:59 THIS WANDERING JESUS, THIS INFLUENCE THAT IS NOT A PERSONALITY. 15:05 I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF JESUS 15:08 WHO I'VE MET ON THE PAGES OF THE BIBLE. 15:12 I HAVE MET ME A JESUS WITH POWER. 15:15 IN FACT, IF I READ ISAIAH 53 CORRECTLY, 15:18 I LEARNED THAT JESUS DID NOT COME WITH ANY FORM OR COMELINESS THAT WE MIGHT DESIRE HIM, 15:24 I BELIEVE THAT GOD COULD HAVE SENT JESUS HERE SO HANDSOME 15:27 THAT EVERY WOMAN WOULD HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH HIM 15:30 AND SO MUSCULAR THAT EVERY MAN WOULD HAVE ADORED HIM. 15:33 BUT GOD CHOSE NOT TO MAKE IT SO. 15:35 HE CHOSE TO MAKE IT SO THAT HIS POWER WAS NOT THE POWER OF THE LOOK OF HIS FACE 15:41 OR THE POWER OF THE RIPPLE OF HIS MUSCLES, 15:43 IT WAS A POWER THAT WAS GREATER THAN THAT; 15:47 A POWER THAT EMANATED FROM HIS SOUL, 15:50 A POWER THAT SHONE THROUGH HIS EYES, 15:53 A POWER THAT WAS BASED ON SOMETHING, NOT JUST A FEELING. 15:57 BUT BASED ON THE FACT THAT JESUS WAS INDEED THE SON OF GOD IN HUMAN FLESH. 16:04 THAT HE CAME TO THIS EARTH TO LIGHT UP OUR LIVES AGAIN WHEN SIN HAD TURNED THE LIGHTS OFF. 16:11 ISAIAH 59 SAYS THAT WHEN YOU'VE HAD A PROBLEM, 16:14 YOUR SIN SEPARATED BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD, 16:17 BUT GOD'S HAND IS NOT SHORTENED THAT IT CANNOT REACH, 16:20 AND HIS EAR IS NOT HEAVY THAT HE CANNOT HEAR. 16:23 GOD WILL NOT BE DISCONNECTED FROM US, 16:26 AND SO IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME HE SENT JESUS TO BRING US BACK TO HIM. 16:32 AND JESUS BECAUSE HE IS GOD AND MAN AT THE SAME TIME, 16:35 TOOK HOLD OF GOD WITH HIS DIVINITY, 16:38 TOOK HOLD OF MAN WITH HIS HUMANITY, AND PULLED US TOGETHER IN HIM. 16:42 SO TONIGHT I BRING YOU A POWERFUL JESUS. 16:49 WELL, IF HE'S THAT POWERFUL, WHY THEN IS THIS WOMAN STILL SICK ? 16:54 WELL, IN A MINUTE YOU'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT THAT SHE ISN'T GOING TO BE SICK LONG. 17:01 SHE SAID, "I'VE RUN OUT OF MONEY, I'VE RUN OUT OF FRIENDS, 17:05 I'M DOWN NOW TO THE PLACE NOW WHERE THE DOCTORS DON'T WANT TO SEE ME, 17:07 MY BILLS HAVE NOT BEEN PAID." 17:10 I DON'T WHETHER THERE WAS INSURANCE IN THOSE DAYS, 17:12 I DOUBT IT SERIOUSLY. 17:14 YOU RAN OUT OF MONEY THEN, THAT WAS IT. 17:16 "SO NOW, WHERE DO I GO ?" 17:18 THIS WOMAN PROPOSES IN HER MIND. 17:21 SHE SAYS, "I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS MY PROBLEM EVERYWHERE. 17:25 I DON'T WANT TO LET MY BUSINESS OUT IN THE STREET. 17:30 IN FACT, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS JUST FIND JESUS SOMEWHERE, 17:35 AND IF I COULD JUST TOUCH HIM. 17:41 I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A TALK WITH HIM; 17:45 I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE SOME GRAND DIALOGUE WITH JESUS." 17:49 YOU KNOW, SOME OF US LOVE THE LORD, BUT WE WILL ONLY COME IF WE CAN COME OUR OWN WAY. 17:56 WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME GRAND OCCASION TO COME TO JESUS. 17:59 LET ME TELL YOU WHEN YOU'RE SITUATION GETS BAD ENOUGH, 18:02 YOU DON'T NEED AN OCCASION. 18:04 YOU CAN SLIP TO JESUS. 18:07 THIS WOMAN SAID, "IF I COULD JUST PUT MY HAND ON HIS CLOTHING" 18:12 I BELIEVE THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET ME A BLESSING WITHOUT HIM EVEN RECOGNIZING IT WAS GONE. 18:20 FOR I BELIEVE THAT HE IS NOT AN ORDINARY MAN, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS POWER IN THIS JESUS. 18:27 I BELIEVE THAT HE HAS NOT COME, REPRESENTING HIMSELF, 18:29 BUT THERE'S POWER FROM GOD IN HIM, AND IF I COULD JUST TOUCH 18:33 HIM, JUST TOUCH HIM, IF I COULD JUST TOUCH HIS CLOTHES." 18:37 SO NOW THIS LITTLE WEAK WOMAN, SHE CANNOT BE TOO LARGE IN FRAME NOW, 18:44 SHE MUST HAVE WASTED AWAY DURING THESE TWELVE YEARS, 18:48 BUT WITH HER LITTLE FRAIL FRAME, 18:51 SHE STARTS TO FIND WHERE'S JESUS BEEN. 18:55 AND WHEN SHE DISCOVERS THAT HE'S BEEN SOMEWHERE THAT'S NOT TOO FAR AWAY, 19:00 SHE FOLLOWS HIS TRAIL UNTIL SHE FINALLY GETS TO A PLACE -- 19:04 ONE OF MY FAVORITE WRITERS SAYS THAT THIS WOMAN DID NOT HAVE 19:07 ENOUGH STRENGTH TO PLAN HER WAY TO JESUS, SHE PROBABLY COULD 19:11 NOT EVEN DO LIKE ZACCHAEUS AND GO UP INTO A SYCAMORE TREE. 19:15 ALL SHE COULD DO WAS JUST FOLLOW WITH HOPE IN HER HEART. 19:19 BUT THE WRITER SAYS THAT JESUS WAS MOVING ONE WAY AND SOMEHOW 19:23 HE TURNED AND STARTED COMING BACK HER WAY. 19:26 (applause) 19:30 I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I RECOGNIZE THAT IN MY LIFE IT WAS NOT 19:33 ME WHO FOUND JESUS, IT WAS JESUS WHO FOUND ME. 19:39 IF I HAD HAD TO FIND HIM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'D BE TONIGHT. 19:43 BUT THE FACT IS THAT JESUS LOOKED DOWN INTO MY EXCUSE 19:46 FOR A LIFE AND KNEW THAT HE COULD MAKE SOMETHING OF ME. 19:50 IT WAS NOT ME WHO PURSUED HIM; 19:53 IT WAS JESUS WHO PURSUED ME. 19:56 AND NOW THIS WOMAN FINDS HERSELF IN A STRANGE SITUATION, 20:01 BECAUSE THE VERY THING THAT SHE'S HOPED FOR IS NOW COMING TO PASS. 20:05 AND AS JESUS BEGINS TO MOVE, 20:07 YOU KNOW HOW THE CROWDS MOVE; 20:08 SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST AROUND TO BE IN THE CROWD. 20:13 YOU KNOW WHAT'S AMAZING TO ME ? 20:16 I BELIEVE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE IN THAT CROWD WAS SICK. 20:24 I BELIEVE SOMEBODY BRUSHED UP AGAINST JESUS. 20:27 I BELIEVE SOMEBODY WITH A DISEASE THAT WAS MORE SERIOUS 20:30 THAN THIS WOMAN'S PROBABLY BRUSHED UP AGAINST JESUS. 20:34 MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE, WHY DIDN'T THEY GET HEALED ? 20:38 YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST BRUSH; 20:40 IT CAN'T JUST BE LIKE SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT, 20:45 THERE HAS TO BE SOME INTENTIONALITY IN YOUR TOUCH. 20:49 WITHOUT FAITH, THE BIBLE SAYS, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM. 20:54 YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE FAITH. 20:56 AND SO THIS WOMAN GATHERS UP ALL OF THE FAITH THAT'S IN HER LIFE, 21:01 AND WHEN SHE SEES HIM COMING, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE HAD ENOUGH POWER TO MAINTAIN HER SPOT. 21:07 SHE MAY NOW BE PUSHED ALONG BY THE CROWD, 21:11 BUT SHE IS SO DETERMINED THAT SHE'LL DO ANYTHING NOW, 21:14 AND SHE PRESSES HER WAY CLOSE ENOUGH TO REACH DOWN TO THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT. 21:20 AND WHEN HER HAND TOUCHES IT, 21:23 I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE MUST HAVE FELT, 21:26 BUT SHE KNEW THAT SHE WAS HEALED. 21:30 SHE KNEW SHE WAS HEALED. 21:33 FORGIVE ME, BUT I'VE DONE A LITTLE DIGGING INTO THAT MOMENT. 21:37 IT'S AN ELECTRIC MOMENT. 21:41 IF YOU WERE A PART OF THAT SOCIETY, AS JESUS WAS, 21:46 IF YOU WERE PART OF THE HEBREW NATION, AS JESUS WAS, 21:50 YOU WORE AT THE BORDER OF YOUR GARMENT, A BLUE FRINGE. 21:58 I LIKE THIS KIND OF STUFF, I GET EXCITED, EXCUSE ME. 22:02 THE BLUE FRINGE REPRESENTED YOUR DETERMINATION TO DO WHAT GOD COMMANDED. 22:09 IT WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT YOU WERE NOT JUST ANYBODY, 22:13 BUT THAT YOU WERE ONE WHO HAD DECIDED THAT YOU WOULD DO WHATEVER GOD SAID TO DO. 22:18 YOU RECOGNIZED THAT YOU WERE PART OF A PECULIAR NATION; 22:21 YOU RECOGNIZED THAT YOU WERE CALLED BY GOD TO DO CERTAIN THINGS. 22:24 ISN'T IT TIME MY FRIENDS, FOR SOMEBODY IN THIS STRANGE TIME 22:29 IN WHICH WE LIVE, TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES, NOT WITH A BLUE BORDER, 22:34 BUT SIMPLY BY OBEYING WHATEVER GOD SAYS TO DO ? 22:38 IT'S TIME FOR PEOPLE TO START OBEYING WHAT GOD SAYS. 22:42 WELL, THIS BLUE BORDER REPRESENTED THAT DECISION TO OBEY. 22:47 IT WAS A SYMBOL OF FAITHFULNESS IF YOU PLEASE. 22:51 SO NOW WOULD YOU ALLOW ME HOMILETIC PRIVILEGE ? 22:56 WOULD YOU ALLOW ME TO SUGGEST THAT WHEN THIS WOMAN GATHERS UP ALL OF HER FAITH IN ONE TOUCH, 23:03 AND THEN REACHES DOWN TO THE FRINGE OF THE GARMENT, 23:07 THAT WHAT SHE PROBABLY TOUCHED WAS THE BLUE FRINGE 23:11 THAT REPRESENTED JESUS' FAITHFULNESS TO GOD ? 23:15 SO, HER FAITH TOUCHED HIS FAITHFULNESS. 23:19 FAITH TOUCHING FAITH. 23:22 GOD WAS THE FATHER OF ALL; 23:25 JESUS ACKNOWLEDGED THE POWER OF GOD. 23:27 AND THE BLUE FRINGE AROUND HIS GARMENT 23:30 WAS TESTIMONY THAT WHILE HE WAS GOD IN HUMAN FLESH, 23:34 HE WAS WILLING TO DO WHAT GOD SAID. 23:37 SO NOW THIS WOMAN REACHES OUT TO TOUCH THE BLUE FRINGE, 23:40 AND AS HER FAITH TOUCHES THAT FAITHFULNESS, SOMETHING HAPPENS. 23:45 THERE'S AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE. 23:49 YOU TELL ME THAT'S NOT POWER. 23:53 I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE PEOPLE 23:57 DOING IN ORDER TO GAIN FAVOR WITH GOD. 24:00 I SOMEHOW THINK THAT WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT GAINING FAVOR. 24:05 IN CHRIST, WE HAVE ACCESS TO GOD. 24:09 WHAT WE OUGHT TO LEARN REALLY TO DO IS SIMPLY TO BELIEVE ENOUGH TO REACH OUT TO TOUCH JESUS. 24:15 JESUS PASSES BY ALL THE TIME, DOESN'T HE ? 24:19 HE WALKS THROUGH OUR LIVES, AND IF OUR FAITH WERE SUFFICIENT TO TOUCH HIS FAITHFULNESS, 24:25 THERE COULD BE A CHANGE. 24:27 THIS WOMAN REACHES OUT AND TOUCHES. 24:29 NOW, IT'S WONDERFUL TO WATCH THE HUMAN DRAMA. 24:34 SOME PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS SO REAL, 24:36 THEY PUT IT SO FAR AWAY AND THEY MAKE IT SO SANITIZED. 24:42 THE SANITIZED VERSION OF THE GOSPEL. 24:45 I DISLIKE IT. 24:47 I BELIEVE JESUS CAME IN THE MIDST OF HUMAN AFFAIRS, 24:50 I BELIEVE THAT HIS POWER IS EFFICACIOUS IN THE MIDDLE 24:54 OF THINGS THAT ARE JOSTLING AGAINST EACH OTHER. 24:57 JESUS DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE US OUT OF OURSELVES FOR HIS POWER TO WORK; 25:01 THE POWER OF JESUS IS EFFECTIVE WHERE WE ARE. 25:04 SO, IN THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF SOCIETY, 25:07 JESUS IS STILL EFFECTIVE. 25:09 HIS POWER IS SUFFICIENT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THIS. 25:13 SO JESUS SAYS, "SOMEBODY TOUCHED ME." 25:20 REMEMBER NOW, THE WOMAN HAS BEEN TREATED BY THE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT LIKE NOBODY, 25:29 SHE'S BEEN TREATED BY THE CHURCH LIKE NOBODY, 25:33 SHE'S BEEN TREATED BY HER FRIENDS LIKE NOBODY. 25:36 IN FACT, EVERY DAY OF HER LIFE, 25:39 THERE WAS A LITANY OF VOICES THAT CONFIRMED, 25:43 "YOU ARE NOBODY." 25:45 "YOU'RE NOTHING." 25:47 BUT NOW, JESUS SAYS, "SOMEBODY". 25:52 Announcer: GOD IS A HUMBLING MYSTERY. 25:55 BUT A MYSTERY ISN'T SOMETHING WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. 25:59 IT'S SIMPLY SOMETHING WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT. 26:03 SOMETIME OUR SEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING GOD CAN PRODUCE ONLY MORE CONFUSION. 26:09 SOMETIMES GOD PASSES BY US AND WE DON'T SEE HIM. 26:14 WE LET THE WORLD GET IN THE WAY. 26:16 WHEN WE CAN'T HEAR GOD SPEAK TO US, WE LOSE OUR ABILITY TO PERCEIVE HIM. 26:23 THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE GOD YOU ALWAYS WANTED IS REALLY THERE. 26:28 AND OUR OFFER THIS WEEK WILL HELP YOU KNOW HIM LIKE NEVER BEFORE. 26:33 IT'S A SOUL AWAKENING BOOK CALLED "SEARCHING" BY CHRIS BLAKE. 26:38 GOD HAS PLACED THE YEARNING TO KNOW HIM IN EACH OF US. 26:43 KNOWING HIM--REALLY KNOWING HIM, BEGINS WITH ONE STEP--YOURS. 26:50 TO BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY JUST LL OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER 877-BOL-OFFER. 26:55 THAT'S 877-265-6333. 27:00 ASK FOR YOUR COPY OF "SEARCHING." 27:02 IT'S YOUR'S FOR A GIFT OF FIVE DOLLARS OR MORE. 27:05 OR YOU MAY WRITE AND ASK FOR THE BOOK. 27:06 JUST WRITE TO: 27:08 BREATH OF LIFE P.O. BOX 97192 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20077 27:16 GET YOUR COPY OF "SEARCHING" TODAY. 27:18 FIND THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR. 27:23 ♪ LET'S JUST PRAISE THE LORD. ♪ 27:27 IF YOU'D LIKE AN AUDIOCASSETTE COPY OF TODAY'S PROGRAM, 27:29 CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN, 27:31 OR WRITE WALTER PEARSON, P.O. BOX 97192, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20077. 27:37 FOR YOUR LOVE GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT, 27:39 WE'LL SEND OUT YOUR COPY RIGHT AWAY. 27:41 AND IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL PRAYER REQUEST, WRITE US. 27:43 WALTER PEARSON WANTS THIS MINISTRY 27:45 TO BE A BLESSING IN YOUR LIFE. 27:47 WALTER PEARSON BELIEVES THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE ANSWER 27:48 TO EVERY PROBLEM YOU FACE. 27:50 ♪ WORTHY, LORD WE ADORE THEE, OF ALL THE GLORY. ♪ 27:57 ♪ WE GIVE YOU ALL THE HONOR. ♪ 27:59 ♪ OH YES, HE'S WORTHY, WORTHY OF ALL THE GLORY. ♪ 28:06 ♪ JESUS IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED. ♪ 28:08 ♪ LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU. ♪ 28:11 ♪ JESUS IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED. ♪ 28:15 ♪ WE GIVE YOU PRAISE. ♪ 28:17 ♪ JESUS IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED. ♪ 28:21 ♪ JESUS IS HER LIFE, , |
Revised 2015-02-06