Participants: Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000220
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00:01 GOD WANTS YOU TO SEE THAT
00:02 WHEN YOU HAVE NO POWER, 00:04 WHEN YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING, 00:06 WHEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO SAY, 00:08 "I GIVE UP !" 00:09 THAT'S WHEN GOD IS MOST POWERFUL. 00:13 ♪ PRAISE THE LORD, LET'S JUST PRAISE THE LORD. ♪ 00:19 Announcer: THIS IS THE BREATH OF LIFE TELEVISION BROADCAST WITH PASTOR WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 00:24 WHEN GOD GETS READY HE CAN DELIVER YOU, IF YOU CALL ON HIM, IF YOU TRUST IN HIM. 00:29 ♪ HE'S WORTHY OF THE PRAISE, JESUS IS WORTHY. ♪ 00:37 YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOWN FLAT ON YOUR FACE, BUT THE POWER OF GOD WILL LIFT YOU UP. 00:42 ♪ HE'S WORTHY OF ALL, ALL THE PRAISE. ♪ 00:48 TONIGHT WE GO TO EZEKIEL, 00:53 THE 37TH CHAPTER AND THERE IN 00:57 THAT BOOK THERE ARE WORDS THAT 00:59 ARE WRITTEN THAT MATCH THE THEME 01:04 THAT WE HAVE CHOSEN FOR THE SERMONS THAT WILL BE PART OF A SERIES, "WHEN GOD STEPS IN". 01:13 THE BIBLE SAYS, BEGINNING WITH VERSE ONE, 01:54 LET'S BOW TOGETHER AS WE PRAY. 01:56 FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE CALL UPON THEE TONIGHT BECAUSE 02:01 THIS TOO IS A TIME OF HOPELESSNESS. 02:06 THIS TOO IS A TIME WHEN MANY HAVE LOOKED INTO WHAT THEY THINK IS THE FUTURE, 02:13 AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THE FUTURE HOLDS NOTHING FOR THEM. 02:17 BUT WE COME TONIGHT WITH THE ASSURANCE FROM THE WORD 02:21 THAT GOD IS STILL ABLE TO DO THINGS THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE. 02:27 SO TONIGHT, AS WE OPEN THY WORD, 02:29 WE ASK THAT MORE MIGHT HAPPEN THAN A PERSON READING FROM 02:33 THE BIBLE OR EVEN COMMENTING ON A TEXT. 02:37 LET THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH US. 02:41 ALL THAT I HAVE AND ALL THAT I AM I PLACE INTO THY HANDS. 02:45 IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT USE IT FATHER IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN. 02:53 THE TIME IN WHICH WE LIVE CALLS FOR PERHAPS A THEME THAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. 03:01 AND SO WE HAVE STARED HOPELESSNESS IN THE FACE. 03:06 WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE SITUATION THAT MANY FEEL IS IMPOSSIBLE. 03:11 AND WE DARE TO DECLARE THAT THINGS CHANGE WHEN GOD STEPS IN. 03:18 I BELIEVE THAT GOD STILL STEPS IN. 03:22 I AM FROM A BACKGROUND THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT NO MATTER 03:26 HOW HOPELESS THINGS MAY SEEM, THAT GOD ONLY HAS TO DETERMINE WHEN HE'S READY, 03:33 AND WHEN GOD SHOWS UP THE WHOLE SITUATION IS CHANGED. 03:39 I WAS REARED IN A HOUSING PROJECT WHERE MOST DEMOGRAPHERS 03:44 WOULD HAVE LOOKED AND SAID, "THERE IS NO HOPE." 03:47 IN FACT, I'LL MAKE IT MORE PERSONAL THAN THAT. 03:50 IF THEY HAD LOOKED AT ME, 03:52 IF THEY HAD PUT ME ON A CHART SOMEWHERE, 03:55 IF THEY HAD PLOTTED OUT WHAT MY FUTURE WOULD BE, 03:58 THEY WOULD HAVE DETERMINED THIS YOUNG MAN HAS NO HOPE. 04:03 BUT I'M PROUD TO SAY TO YOU TONIGHT THAT THERE WAS A MOTHER 04:06 AND A FATHER WHO SOMEHOW ALSO BELIEVED 04:09 THAT WHEN GOD STEPS IN, SOMETHING CHANGES. 04:13 AND SO EVEN THOUGH WE LIVED IN A PLACE THAT WAS SURROUNDED BY APPARENT HOPELESSNESS, 04:21 THEY HELD ON TO THE BELIEF THAT IF GOD IS PRESENT, 04:25 NOTHING CAN BE HOPELESS. 04:27 AND THEY, AMONG A VERY FEW OTHER PARENTS MADE AN ISLAND 04:32 IN THAT SEA OF HOPELESSNESS 04:34 AND CONTINUED TO SAY TO ME AND MY BROTHER, 04:37 "IT MAY SEEM LIKE YOU CAN'T MAKE IT, 04:40 BUT THE FACT IS THAT IF GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE, 04:43 YOU REALLY CAN'T FAIL." 04:46 AND SO TONIGHT IT IS OUT OF AN EXPERIENCE THAT IS REAL 04:49 THAT I COME TO YOU WITH A VISION THAT WAS GIVEN A PROPHET 04:55 IN A TIME WHEN THE PEOPLE CALLED ISRAEL 04:59 HAD RESIGNED THEMSELVES TO FAILURE. 05:03 IN FACT, THEIR DETERMINATION, THEIR WORDS WERE, 05:07 "WE ARE LIKE DRY BONES. 05:12 WE'RE ALIVE, BUT WE'RE DEAD. 05:15 WE'RE STILL AROUND WITH THE SENSIBILITIES TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE, 05:20 BUT THERE IS NO FUTURE." 05:23 THEY THOUGHT THAT SOMEHOW BECAUSE THEY HAD TURNED AGAINST GOD, 05:27 THAT GOD HAD THE RIGHT TO TURN AGAINST THEM; AND HE DID. 05:31 BUT THE FACT IS THAT YOU CAN NOT UNDERSTAND THE LOVING KINDNESS AND THE MERCY OF GOD ALMIGHTY. 05:40 THE FACT IS THAT IF I WERE TO DETERMINE TONIGHT 05:42 IF I WERE WORTHY OF GOD'S MERCY, 05:45 I WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE THAT I'M NOT. 05:48 BUT I'M PLEASED TO TELL YOU THAT I DON'T MAKE THE DETERMINATION TONIGHT. 05:52 I'M ALSO KIND OF HAPPY THAT YOU DON'T MAKE IT EITHER. 05:56 IT'S A DETERMINATION THAT'S LEFT UP TO GOD. 05:59 AND GOD IS MORE MERCIFUL AND MORE COMPASSIONATE 06:03 AND MORE LONG-SUFFERING THAN SOME BELIEVE. 06:06 GOD HAD LOOKED ON THE CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL, 06:09 GOD HAD SEEN THEM FALL INTO IDOLATRY, 06:12 HE HAD WATCHED THEM BECOME UNFAITHFUL. 06:15 AND YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT ANY GOD WITH ANY KIND OF RULES 06:19 WOULD HAVE STIFFENED HIMSELF AND SAID, 06:22 "I'LL MAKE ME ANOTHER PEOPLE, I'LL CHOOSE SOMEBODY ELSE." 06:26 BUT GOD IS LONG-SUFFERING AND SO HE DID NOT ABANDON THEM. 06:31 INSTEAD, HE CONTINUED TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND WHEN THEY SAID, 06:36 "WE'RE JUST LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALIVE BUT REALLY DEAD, 06:40 WE SEEM TO BE ALIVE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR FUTURE 06:44 WE MIGHT AS WELL BE DEAD." 06:46 GOD TOOK THEIR OWN METAPHOR, TOOK THEIR OWN WORDS, 06:51 PUT THE PROPHET INTO A VISION 06:54 AND SHOWED EZEKIEL THE VERY THING 06:58 THAT THE ISRAELITES HAD BEGUN TO MOUTH WITH THEIR LIPS. 07:02 HE SHOWED THE PROPHET BONES. 07:05 HE SAID, "YOU WANT TO TALK HOPELESSNESS ? 07:07 I'LL TALK HOPELESSNESS WITH YOU. 07:10 YOU WANT TO LET BONES REPRESENT NO HOPE, THEN LET THAT BE SO. 07:15 BUT WATCH WHAT I CAN DO WITH DRY BONES. 07:21 AND SO IN THE VISION THAT IS GIVEN TO EZEKIEL, 07:25 EZEKIEL FINDS HIMSELF BEING MOVED AROUND THE VALLEY 07:31 SO THAT HE CAN SEE ALL OF THE DRY BONES. 07:35 THE SCHOLARS HAVE LOOKED AT THE TEXT 07:36 AND THEY HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT THESE BONES WERE NOT 07:39 STACKED AS THOUGH SOMEONE HAD COME TO BURY THEM. 07:42 THEY WERE NOT PUT AS THOUGH THEY WERE ABOUT 07:44 TO BE PUT INTO A FUNERAL PROCESSION OR INTO A CRYPT. 07:48 IT WAS AS THOUGH A BATTLE HAD TAKEN PLACE, 07:51 AS THOUGH NOBODY CARED THAT THEY WERE DEAD. 07:54 IT WAS AS THOUGH A SLAUGHTER HAD OCCURRED 07:58 AND THE PEOPLE HAD GONE AWAY, 08:00 LEAVING THE BONES TO BLEACH IN THE SUN; 08:03 TO WEAR AWAY AND BE EATEN BY PREDATORS THAT CAME. 08:08 NOBODY CARED. 08:09 THIS IS THE SITUATION THAT ISRAEL HAD CONJURED UP. 08:13 THIS IS THE SITUATION THAT GOD STARTED WITH. 08:17 NOW HE TAKES THE PROPHET AND SAYS, 08:19 "LET ME LET YOU SEE ALL OF THEM. 08:20 I DON'T WANT YOU TO MISS ANY BECAUSE IF YOU MISS ANY, 08:23 YOU MIGHT NOT SEE HOW GRAND IS THIS DILEMMA. 08:27 I WANT YOU TO SEE ALL OF IT AND TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE DRY BONES EVERYWHERE. 08:32 AND, THEY ARE VERY DRY. 08:36 THEY'VE BEEN THERE ALONG TIME." 08:38 NOW, IN A FEW MOMENTS I'M GOING TO TRY MY AMATEUR EFFORT 08:43 AT SHOWING THAT THERE IS SOMETHING TO THIS PARALLEL ABOUT BONES. 08:49 THE FACT IS THAT PHYSICIANS ARE CLEAR TO SAY THAT THE STEM CELL 08:54 THAT CREATES BLOOD IS FOUND IN BONE MARROW. 09:01 SO IF THE BONES ARE VERY DRY, THE MARROW HAS DRIED. 09:06 AND IF THERE IS NO MORE STEM CELL FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BLOOD, 09:11 MAN CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT BLOOD. 09:14 SO THIS IS NOT ONLY HOPELESS FOR NOW, 09:17 IT'S HOPELESS FOR THE FUTURE. 09:20 THESE BONES CANNOT PRODUCE THE VERY STEM CELL THAT BRINGS BLOOD. 09:25 BUT GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU HAVE DISCOUNTED ALL HOPE; 09:32 WHEN YOU'VE LOOKED FROM ONE END OF A VALLEY TO THE OTHER, 09:35 WHEN EVERY BONE THAT YOU SEE IS DRY; 09:39 WHEN THEY ARE NOT STACKED IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, 09:41 BUT WHEN ONE BONE IS HERE AND ANOTHER BONE IS THERE 09:44 AND IF YOU WERE CHALLENGED TO PUT THEM TOGETHER 09:46 YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT. 09:47 GOD WANTS YOU TO SEE THAT WHEN YOU HAVE NO POWER, 09:51 WHEN YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING, 09:53 WHEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO SAY, 09:55 "I GIVE UP !" 09:57 THAT'S WHEN GOD IS MOST POWERFUL. 10:01 AND SO HE SAYS TO THE PROPHET, 10:04 "TAKE A LOOK, HAVE YOU SEEN IT ALL YET ? 10:07 NOW EZEKIEL, CAN THESE BONES LIVE ?" 10:13 I HEARD EVANGELIST SHIRLEY CAESAR WITH A TERRIFIC ANALYSIS OF HOW GOD ASKS QUESTIONS. 10:21 GOD IS OMNISCIENT, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT HE KNOWS EVERYTHING. 10:26 IF YOU KNOW EVERYTHING, THAT MEANS THAT YOU KNOW 10:28 THE ANSWER TO EVERY QUESTION THAT CAN BE ASKED. 10:31 SO NO MATTER WHAT GOD ASKS, HE ALWAYS KNOWS THE ANSWER. 10:34 ALL OF HIS QUESTIONS ARE THEREFORE RHETORICAL. 10:39 HE KNOWS THE ANSWER. 10:40 AND SO WHEN GOD ASKS EZEKIEL "CAN THESE BONES LIVE," 10:44 IT WAS NOT FOR THE SAKE OF INFORMATION. 10:46 GOD ALREADY KNEW WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO DO. 10:49 HE JUST WANTED TO KNOW WAS THE PROPHET WAS ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH ? 10:54 WAS HE TUNED INTO THE RIGHT CHANNEL ? 10:56 WAS HIS FAITH UP HIGH ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND 11:01 WHAT GOD WAS ABOUT TO SAY ? 11:03 IF EZEKIEL HAD SAID, "NO, THEY CAN'T LIVE !" 11:06 THEN GOD WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH FAITH 11:09 IN THIS PREACHER TO GIVE HIM THE VISION. 11:11 THE VISION MIGHT HAVE HAD TO GO TO SOMEBODY ELSE. 11:14 BUT I'M GLAD TO REPORT THAT THE PROPHET WAS WISE IN HIS RESPONSE. 11:20 HE NEITHER SAID THAT THEY CAN OR THEY CANNOT LIVE HE SAID, 11:23 "LORD, YOU KNOW. 11:26 YOU KNOW. 11:29 I DON'T KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW." 11:33 NOW FORGIVE ME IF I GET EXCITED AT THE QUESTION. 11:37 YOU SEE, IF GOD SHOWS YOU A SITUATION THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE 11:41 AND THEN DARES TO ASK THE QUESTION, 11:43 "CAN THE BONES LIVE ?" 11:45 I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I GET GOOSE BUMPS. 11:48 I BEGIN TO ASK MYSELF, "WHAT IS GOD ABOUT TO DO ?" 11:52 YOU KNOW, IT'S A STRANGE QUESTION TO ASK OVER DRY BONES; VERY DRY BONES. 11:57 WHY WOULD GOD BEGIN TO INCLINE MY IMAGINATION IN THAT DIRECTION ? 12:02 AND I POSE IT TO YOU TONIGHT THAT IF YOU KNOW GOD LONG ENOUGH AND WELL ENOUGH, 12:06 WHEN GOD ASKS QUESTIONS LIKE THAT YOU GET EXCITED. 12:10 BECAUSE THE FACT IS THAT GOD DOES THINGS THAT MAN CANNOT COMPREHEND. 12:15 AND IF GOD HAD ASKED ME THE QUESTION, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU; 12:18 I'D OF GOTTEN A LITTLE EXCITED. 12:21 CAN THESE BONES LIVE ? 12:22 LORD, YOU KNOW. 12:25 NOW LET ME TALK A MOMENT ABOUT THESE BONES. 12:28 AND I ASK THE FORGIVENESS OF EVERY MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. 12:32 YOU KNOW IT'S AMAZING; PREACHERS WANT TO BE DOCTORS. 12:37 WELL, IT'S NOT UNIQUE; 12:38 THERE ARE SOME DOCTORS WHO WANT TO BE PREACHERS. 12:42 SO, IF THEY WILL FORGIVE ME FOR DABBLING IN THEIR BAILEY WICK A LITTLE BIT, 12:46 I'LL FORGIVE THEM FOR DABBLING INTO MINE, 12:49 AND WE CAN GO FORWARD, WHAT DO YOU SAY ? 12:51 I CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE SOME YEARS AGO 12:56 THAT GAVE ME WHAT I THINK IS AN INSIGHT INTO WHAT GOD MUST 13:00 HAVE HAD IN MIND WHEN GOD PICKED UP ON THE METAPHOR OF ISRAEL. 13:06 REMEMBER THAT GOD DID NOT HAVE TO PICK UP ON WHAT ISRAEL HAD STARTED, 13:10 HE COULD HAVE CHANGED METAPHORS SINCE HE CREATED ALL LANGUAGE. 13:16 I PAUSE FOR A MOMENT IN CASE THERE ARE QUESTIONS. 13:20 I SEEM TO REMEMBER A TOWER CALLED BABEL 13:24 AND EVERYBODY SPOKE ONE LANGUAGE UNTIL GOD DECIDED 13:27 "I WILL SCRAMBLE THEM." 13:29 AND SO GOD SCRAMBLED THE LANGUAGES AND MY SUGGESTION IS 13:32 THAT GOD CREATED ALL THE LANGUAGES. 13:35 GOD, UNDERSTANDING ALL LANGUAGES COULD HAVE SPOKEN IN ANY ONE, 13:38 OR CHOSEN ANY METAPHOR. 13:40 BUT INSTEAD, HE PICKS UP ON THEIRS, 13:43 AND HE LETS THIS PROPHET GO INTO THE VALLEY 13:47 AND THE QUESTION IS, "WHY DOES GOD CHOOSE THIS ONE ?" 13:50 I CAME TO KNOW THAT THERE IS 13:54 WHAT FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGISTS CALL, NOW THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD TERM WASN'T IT ? 14:04 THERE IS A NEW BRANCH; THE FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGIST 14:09 IS ABLE TO TAKE A BONE, NOTHING BUT A BONE, 14:14 AND BEGIN TO ANALYZE THE BONE. 14:18 I AM NOT PARTICULARLY ENAMORED WITH BONES. 14:22 IN FACT, I HAVE BEEN IN THOSE LITTLE COUNTRY CHURCH YARDS WHERE THEY HAVE CEMETERIES. 14:29 ANDI MUST TELL YOU THAT I'M CAREFUL WHERE I STEP. 14:35 THERE'S NO PARTICULAR FEAR THAT I HAVE, 14:36 BUT NO ONE WANTS TO COME UPON A BONE. 14:40 BUT THESE PEOPLE SPEND THEIR LIVES WITH BONES. 14:44 ALL YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS GIVE THEM THE BONE, 14:46 A SMALL PART OF A BONE AND ACCORDING TO HOW WELL THEY DO, 14:50 THEY CAN TELL YOU WHO THE PERSON WAS WHO HAD THIS BONE. 14:55 THEY CAN LOOK, FOR INSTANCE, AT THE NASAL MARGIN 15:01 OR THE NASAL RIDGE AND TELL YOU WHAT ETHNIC GROUP THE PERSON CAME FROM. 15:10 NO MATTER HOW MUCH PLASTIC SURGERY YOU GET, 15:14 YOUR BONES WILL STILL TELL ON YOU. 15:18 ISN'T THAT SOMETHING ? 15:19 BONES WILL TELL WHETHER THE PERSON WAS MALE OR FEMALE. 15:24 IF THE PERSON HAS A PELVIS THAT IS NARROW AND STEEP WALLED, 15:29 THEN THAT PERSON WAS MALE. 15:31 IF THE PELVIS WAS BROAD AND SHALLOW, 15:33 THAT PERSON WAS FEMALE. 15:35 SO THE BONES TELL THE GENDER, 15:38 THE BONES TELL THE HEIGHT. 15:40 THEY CAN TAKE THE LEG BONE, 15:42 PUNCH THE NUMBERS IN THE COMPUTER, 15:44 AND THE COMPUTER TELLS THAT THIS PERSON WAS "SO TALL". 15:48 THEY CAN GENERALLY TELL THE AGE. 15:51 NOW THIS GETS A LITTLE TICKLISH SO LET ME GET TO THIS NOTE. 15:54 IF THE JUNCTION BETWEEN THE TWO MAJOR BONES 15:57 THAT FORM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SKULL HAVE CLOSED, 16:01 BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE BONES STAY OPEN FOR AWHILE TO LET YOU HAVE ROOM TO GROW. 16:05 ASSUMING THAT THE BRAIN WILL GROW, SOMEONE OUGHT TO SAY AMEN. 16:11 IT DOESN'T CLOSE FOR AWHILE, SO IF THAT IS STILL OPEN, 16:15 THAT MEANS THAT THIS PERSON IS PROBABLY STILL A CHILD. 16:18 UP UNTIL THE LATE TEENS, THOSE BONES HAVE NOT FUSED. 16:23 OVER THE TOP OF THE CRANIUM THERE IS A ZIGZAG MARK, 16:27 OR MORE THAN ONE, THAT ARE CALLED THE CRANIAL SUTURES. 16:30 THEY STAY THERE UNTIL YOU REACH THE MID-TWENTIES. 16:34 AND THEN THERE IS SOMETHING AT THE CONNECTION OF THE FEMUR 16:38 WHERE THE SHAFT MEETS THE KNOB AND THERE IS INCOMPLETE CALCIFICATION 16:42 TO SUGGEST THAT YOU HAVE NOT REACHED A CERTAIN AGE. 16:48 DID I SPIT THAT OUT RIGHT ? 16:52 SO, YOUR BONES TELL HOW OLD YOU ARE. 16:55 YOUR BONES TELL WHETHER YOU HAVE BEEN LEFT HANDED OR RIGHT HANDED; 17:00 WHETHER SOMEONE STABBED YOU AT A CERTAIN POINT, 17:04 OR SHOT YOU AT A CERTAIN POINT. 17:06 SO BONES TELL WHO THEY BELONG TO. 17:10 AND IN FACT, SOME OF THEM WILL EVEN BEGIN TO TELL THE FACIAL FEATURES 17:16 BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE BONES ARE FORMED. 17:20 NOW LISTEN, THERE IS WHAT THEY CALL AN OSTEO-BIOGRAPHY 17:28 SO THAT IF THEY HAD NOTHING BUT YOUR BONES LEFT, 17:32 THEY COULD BEGIN TO BUILD A BIOGRAPHY OF YOUR LIFE WITH NOTING BUT BONES. 17:39 THERE IS A MAN BY THE NAME OF CLYDE SNOW. 17:42 HE IS THE MOST CALLED UPON OF THESE ANTHROPOLOGISTS. 17:46 AND HE IS ONE OF THOSE WHO CAN TAKE A BONE AND BEGIN TO TELL WHAT THE PERSON WAS LIKE. 17:51 SO THEN, IF YOUR IMAGINATION IS READY TO TAKE THIS STEP, 17:57 CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT GOD MIGHT HAVE HAD IT IN MIND 18:01 TO SUGGEST THAT WHEN THIS VALLEY IS FULL OF BONES, 18:05 IT IS FULL OF SAD STORIES ? 18:10 FOR BONES ARE NOT JUST BONES. 18:12 BONES ARE BIOGRAPHIES. 18:15 BONES TELL THE STORY OF PEOPLE. 18:19 BONES TELL WHAT YOUR LIFE WAS LIKE. 18:23 WHEN YOU COME TO THIS VALLEY AND THIS VISION, 18:26 YOU'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT DRIED BONES; 18:29 YOU ARE LOOKING AT LIVES -- LIVES THAT HAD MEANING, 18:31 LIVES THAT HAD FULFILLMENT, LIVES THAT WERE ALMOST THERE. 18:35 BUT SOME CATACLYSMIC EVENT HAS HAPPENED AND LIFE CEASED. 18:41 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU ARE NOW FACING BONES SCATTERED EVERYWHERE, 18:46 SO THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE ULTIMATE OF HOPELESSNESS. 18:51 PEOPLES LIVES THAT HAVE COME TO AN END. 18:54 AND EVIDENTLY THEY'VE COME TO AN END UNDER SOME TERRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES. 18:59 WHEN THIS PROPHET LOOKS AT THE BONES, 19:02 PERHAPS HE TOO DRAWS BACK A LITTLE BIT. 19:05 BUT THEN GOD SUGGESTS TO HIM, CAN THESE BONES LIVE ? 19:10 AND WHEN THE ANSWER COMES, "LORD, THOUGH KNOWEST." 19:14 THEN GOD SUGGESTS THAT THEY CAN LIVE, 19:19 BUT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. 19:24 THE FACT IS THAT IN GOD'S WORLD, IN GOD'S SPHERE, 19:31 THERE IS NO CHALLENGE WITH SAD STORIES. 19:36 NOW THE PRIMARY IMPLICATIONS OF THIS TEXT ARE CLEAR. 19:39 IF YOU SIMPLY READ IT IN ITS CONTEXT, 19:42 YOU WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MEANING SHOULD 19:44 HAVE BEEN CLEAR TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL. 19:47 THEY THOUGHT THAT THEIR NATIONHOOD WAS FOREVER GONE. 19:50 THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD NEVER, EVER HAVE HOPE TO RISE UP AGAIN. 19:54 AND WHAT GOD IS TELLING THEM IS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE GONE AWAY FROM ME, 19:58 I AM MERCIFUL ENOUGH TO REACH OUT TO YOU. 20:01 AND WHEN I REACH OUT TO YOU THE FACT IS THAT THOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE WALKING DEAD, 20:06 IF YOU WALK WITH ME; IF YOU PUT YOUR HOPE IN ME, 20:09 I CAN CHANGE THAT SITUATION. 20:12 I CAN MAKE THE LANDSCAPE OVER; 20:15 I CAN SWITCH THE SITUATIONS AROUND YOU. 20:18 I CAN TURN NIGHT INTO DAY, I CAN TURN CURSE INTO BLESSING, 20:22 I CAN TURN FAILURE INTO VICTORY, I CAN DO THAT ! 20:27 AND ISRAEL HAD ONLY TO LISTEN. 20:30 THE FACT IS THAT SCORES OF YEARS BEFORE HIS BIRTH, 20:33 CYRUS WAS ALREADY CALLED BY NAME, BY GOD. 20:37 IN ISAIAH 44, THE LAST VERSE, GOD SAYS, 20:40 "CYRUS IS MY SHEPHERD, I'LL USE HIM TO BRING MY CHILDREN BACK TO THEIR LAND." 20:47 SO WHILE ISRAEL WAS THERE SAYING "WE DON'T HAVE ANY HOPE," 20:52 THE FACT IS THAT GOD HAD ALREADY NAMED THE ONE WHO WAS TO BE THEIR SOLUTION. 20:58 NOW YOU'LL FORGIVE ME, BUT I AM A PREACHER. 21:01 I CAN'T GO PAST THAT ONE WITHOUT COMMENTING ON IT. 21:04 SOMEBODY RIGHT HERE MIGHT HAVE A SITUATION GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE. 21:08 AND YOU'RE WONDERING HOW IN THE WORLD CAN I MAKE IT PAST THIS ? 21:11 THERE IS NO WAY OUT ! 21:13 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO COMMIT SUICIDE BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT 21:16 THEIR LIVES AND THEY THINK THERE IS NO HOPE, 21:18 THEY THINK THAT THEY'RE ALIVE, BUT DEAD. 21:21 THEY ARE PRACTICALLY DEAD BECAUSE THEY SEE NO WAY OUT. 21:26 AND I SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU REALLY OUGHT TO LOOK AT YOUR 21:29 SITUATION THOUGH GOD'S EYES BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION, 21:33 BECAUSE GOD CAN SEE THINGS THAT WE CANNOT SEE. 21:37 AND SO, BEFORE YOU GIVE UP MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO LET GOD TAKE A LOOK AT IT. 21:41 LET THE GREAT PHYSICIAN TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR CASE. 21:44 LET THE ONE WHO CAN RULE THE EARTH, 21:47 WHO HOLDS IT IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND. 21:49 LET HIM MAKE A DECISION ON IT BEFORE YOU CALL IT OFF. 21:53 THE PRIMARY IMPLICATION IS CLEAR, 21:55 GOD IS TALKING TO ISRAEL SAYING, 21:57 "THAT YOU THINK YOU CAN'T HAVE NATIONHOOD BUT THINK AGAIN." 22:00 NOW I BRING IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL, 22:03 FOR THE FACT IS THAT I AM NOT CALLED TO PREACH TO ANCIENT ISRAEL, 22:06 I AM CALLED TO PREACH TO POST MODERN AMERICA. 22:11 AND I THINK THAT THE DEMOGRAPHERS HAVE GONE TOO FAR. 22:17 THE DOOM SAYERS, NO MATTER HOW MANY TERMINAL DEGREES THEY MAY POSSESS, 22:22 HAVE ONLY THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT THE FACTS. 22:27 THEY CAN ONLY LOOK AT WHAT IS. 22:30 THEY CANNOT SEE BEYOND WHAT IS. 22:34 AND SO, THEY MAY BE QUITE ACCURATE. 22:36 THEY MAY COME AND SAY, "WELL, JUDGING BY WHAT WE'VE SEEN 22:39 AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE, 22:41 WE'VE LOOKED AT PEOPLE IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION 22:43 AND WE'VE JUDGED IT AND WE'VE PUT THIS PERCENTAGE HERE 22:45 AND THAT PERCENTAGE THERE; WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL THE PROBABILITIES 22:48 AND WE'VE COME UP TO THIS CONCLUSION THAT THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE CANNOT MAKE IT." 22:55 THEY DO IT ALL THE TIME. 22:59 THE URBAN UNDERCLASS CANNOT MAKE IT. 23:04 WE'VE LOOKED AT IT. 23:06 THEY WILL SAY, "IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY CHILD 23:10 FROM A SINGLE PARENT FAMILY TO THRIVE, YOU CAN'T DO IT." 23:16 AND I'M NOT ANGRY WITH THEM. 23:18 WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE TAKEN ALL THE FACTS 23:21 AND FED THEN INTO THEIR LITTLE COMPUTER, 23:23 AND THEIR LITTLE COMPUTER HAS DONE WHAT COMPUTERS DO: 23:27 YOU FEED IT IN, THE COMPUTER DOES WHAT YOU'VE PROGRAMMED IT TO DO. 23:30 THE COMPUTER CANNOT BE BLAMED FOR WHAT COMES OUT AT THE OTHER END. 23:34 IT WAS NOT THE COMPUTER THAT PROGRAMMED ITSELF ! 23:38 IT WAS SOMEONE, PERHAPS A VERY BRAINY SOMEONE. 23:41 SOMEONE WITH ALL KINDS OF EDUCATION WHO WAS ACCURATE IN THEIR CALCULATIONS, 23:46 AND THEY PUT THEM IN THE COMPUTER AND THE COMPUTER CAME AND SAID, 23:49 "WELL NO, THAT GROUP CAN'T MAKE IT, 23:51 AND THESE CHILDREN CAN'T MAKE IT, 23:53 AND THOSE PEOPLE MIGHT AS WELL GIVE UP. 23:55 AND AS WE LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, CERTAIN PEOPLE MIGHT AS WELL FOLD UP, 24:01 BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MAKE IT." 24:03 BUT YOU SEE I WISH THAT I COULD GUIDE THEM OVER TO MY GOD. 24:08 (applause) 24:13 I WISH GOD COULD LET THEM DOWN INTO THE VALLEY OF DRY COMPUTERS. 24:21 LET THEM LOOK AT DRY FACTS AND SAY, 24:25 "LOOK, COME, COME YOU GRAND EDUCATED HUMAN BEING. 24:30 LET ME GUIDE YOU NOW DOWN TO WHERE ALL THE FACTS ARE EXTRAPOLATED. 24:34 LOOK AT THEM, ARE THEY DRY ?" 24:36 AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE, 24:37 "YES LORD, WE HAVE ALREADY EVALUATED THIS. 24:40 WHY DO YOU ASK ? 24:42 WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THESE FACTS. 24:45 THESE FACTS ARE SELF-EVIDENT. 24:47 THERE IS NO HOPE FOR THESE PEOPLE. 24:50 WE HAVE SAID IT; WE'VE PUT IT IN THE NEWSPAPERS. 24:52 WE TRIED TO MAKE IT AS CALM AND AS QUIET AS WE COULD, 24:56 BUT CERTAIN PEOPLE MIGHT AS WELL GIVE UP. 24:58 WE HAVE STUDIED THE FACTS. 24:59 THE INDICATORS ARE ALL CLEAR, THEY CAN'T MAKE IT !" 25:03 AND GOD WOULD GUIDE THEM AROUND AGAIN AND SAY, 25:04 "WELL NO, LOOK AT ALL THE DRY FACTS. 25:07 DO YOU SEE THEM ALL ? 25:08 CAN THESE PEOPLE MAKE IT ?" 25:10 WELL, THEY ARE NOT SO WISE AS EZEKIEL WAS. 25:13 THEY SAY, "NO, LORD." 25:15 THEY WOULD ANSWER QUICKLY, "NO YOU SEE, WE HAVE -- PULL 25:18 IT OUT -- AND THEY'D BRING ALL THESE REAMS OF PAPER, 25:20 YOU SEE, HERE -- RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE, THERE IT IS -- 25:25 THE BOTTOM LINE; THEY CAN'T MAKE IT." 25:28 BUT THEN WHAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT WHEN 25:31 GOD ASKS THE QUESTION, HE ALREADY HAS THE SOLUTION. 25:36 NOW I AM NOT TRYING TO PREACH UTOPIAN CHRISTIANITY. 25:46 I'M A LITTLE DISGUSTED WITH PEOPLE WHO ACT AS THOUGH 25:50 IF YOU CALL THE NAME OF JESUS AND LIE DOWN IN YOUR BED, 25:55 THAT GOOD THINGS WILL COME TO FIND YOU UNDERNEATH YOUR COVERS. 26:01 I BELIEVE GOD FEEDS THE BIRDS, BUT HE DOES NOT THROW THE WORMS IN THEIR NEST. 26:06 WHAT DO YOU SAY ? 26:08 I BELIEVE THAT GOD REWARDS THOSE WHO PUT FORTH EFFORT. 26:13 I WOULD HATE TO BELONG TO ANY GROUP; 26:15 I WOULD NOT EVEN PURPORT THAT CHRISTIANITY IS GOOD FOR YOU 26:19 IF PEOPLE WOULD JUST SIT DOWN AND WAIT FOR BLESSINGS TO FALL UPON THEM. 26:26 WHAT WOULD YOU DO ? 26:28 I SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU WOULD BE NO BETTER, 26:30 IN FACT YOU WOULD PROBABLY BE WORSE IF YOU COULD JUST SIT 26:33 THERE AND BLESSINGS COME AND FIND YOU. 26:37 Announcer: GOD IS A HUMBLING MYSTERY. 26:39 BUT A MYSTERY ISN'T SOMETHING WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. 26:42 IT'S SIMPLY SOMETHING WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT. 26:46 SOMETIME GOD PASSES BY US AND WE DON'T SEE HIM. 26:50 WE LET THE WORLD GET IN THE WAY. 26:53 THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE GOD YOU ALWAYS WANTED IS REALLY THERE. 26:57 OUR OFFER THIS WEEK WILL HELP YOU KNOW HIM LIKE NEVER BEFORE. 27:01 IT'S A SOUL AWAKENING BOOK CALLED "SEARCHING" BY CHRIS BLAKE. 27:05 JUST CALL OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER 877-BOL-OFFER. 27:09 THAT'S 877-265-6333. 27:13 ASK FOR YOUR COPY OF "SEARCHING." 27:15 IT'S YOUR'S FOR A GIFT OF FIVE DOLLARS OR MORE. 27:18 OR YOU MAY WRITE AND ASK FOR THE BOOK. 27:20 JUST WRITE TO: 27:22 BREATH OF LIFE P.O. BOX 97192 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20077 27:29 GET YOUR COPY OF "SEARCHING" TODAY. 27:31 FIND THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR. 27:38 Announcer: IF YOU'D LIKE AN AUDIOCASSETTE COPY OF TODAY'S PROGRAM, 27:41 CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN, OR WRITE: 27:43 WALTER PEARSON, P.O. BOX 97192, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20077. 27:48 FOR YOUR LOVE GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT, WE'LL SEND OUT YOUR COPY RIGHT AWAY. 27:52 AND IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL PRAYER REQUEST, WRITE US. 27:54 WALTER PEARSON WANTS THIS MINISTRY TO BE A BLESSING IN YOUR LIFE. 27:57 WALTER PEARSON BELIEVES THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE ANSWER TO EVERY PROBLEM YOU FACE. 28:03 ♪ HE'S WORTHY OF THE PRAISE JESUS IS WORTHY. ♪ 28:13 ♪ OF ALL THE GLORY. ♪ 28:18 ♪ OH YES, HE'S WORTHY. ♪ 28:25 ♪ JESUS IS WORTHY OF ALL ALL THE PRAISE. ♪ |
Revised 2015-02-06