Participants: Pr. Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000308
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00:02 Announcer: BREATH OF LIFE PRESENTS RELENTLESS PURSUIT WITH
00:08 PASTOR WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 00:11 JOIN US NOW AS PASTOR PEARSON CONTINUES HIS MESSAGE ON 00:15 THE POOL OF BETHESDA. 00:18 (theme music) WP: MEN ARE QUITE VULNERABLE. 00:25 I DON'T WANT TO PUT US DOWN, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE STORY 00:27 OF ADAM AND EVE, WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT IF I HAD SEEN EVE 00:30 COMING BACK, LOOKING FUNNY, YOU KNOW I WOULD WANT TO THINK I 00:43 WOULD SAY, "EVE, WHERE YOU BEEN? 00:47 YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU DID WHEN YOU LEFT. 00:50 WHERE DID YOU GO ? 00:52 YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OVER--YOU'VE BEEN OVER THERE BY THAT TREE. 00:59 TURN AROUND, LET ME SEE YOU IN THE LIGHT, GL." 01:08 HERE'S WHAT I WOULD WANT TO SAY, "EVE, YOU WAIT RIGHT HERE; I GOT 01:13 TO GO TALK TO GOD FOR A MINUTE." 01:19 BUT MEN ARE OFTEN VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO STORIES. 01:22 SOMETIMES, BRETHREN, WE LISTEN TO THINGS THAT WOMEN 01:24 SAY ACTING LIKE WE DON'T HAVE A MIRROR AT HOME. 01:29 "HOW YOU DOING ? 01:31 YOU ALL BUFFED UP AND EVERYTHING." 01:37 SO WHEN THEY SAY THAT TO YOU... 01:44 "I DIDN'T KNOW YOU NOTICED THAT." 01:47 "WHAT YOU BEEN DOING, PUMPING IRON OR SOMETHING ?" 01:49 "WELL, YOU KNOW...I DON'T DO IT MUCH, BUT I'M JUST 01:53 KIND OF NATURALLY THAT WAY." 01:57 SOME WOMAN WILL HAVE YOU ALL TIED UP TELLING YOU THINGS THAT 02:01 HAVE NO RELATIONSHIP WITH TRUTH, AND ALL THEY'RE DOING IS TRYING 02:06 TO FIND SOMEBODY TO GO TO SOME LITTLE PLACE, AND THEN THEY'LL 02:09 HAVE THE NERVE TO TELL YOU, "NOT NOW, NOW LET ME ASK YOU 02:12 SOMETHING--I HOPE YOU DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY. 02:15 WHEN YOU GET WITH MY FRIENDS, MANY OF THEM ARE VERY EDUCATED, 02:21 AND SOME OF THEM COME FROM FAMILIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY 02:25 TREAT ENGLISH LIKE IT'S SOME SPECIAL ENTRY EXAM, AND THEY CAN 02:32 SPOT ANY FLAW IN YOUR SYNTAX. 02:36 SO I HOPE YOU DON'T MISUNDERSTAND, BUT WHEN WE 02:39 GET AROUND THEM, COULD I ASK YOU JUST NOT TO SAY A LOT ? 02:46 "NO, YOU CAN SAY LIKE, HELLO. 02:50 THAT WOULD BE OKAY. 02:52 BUT IF THEY ASK YOU ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT LIKE CURRENT 02:54 EVENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU JUST ACT LIKE YOU KIND 02:58 OF CHOKED OR YOU'RE SNEEZING OR SOMETHING, ALL RIGHT ?" 03:02 AND THEY TELL YOU, "YOU KNOW SOMETHING, IF YOU STICK WITH ME, 03:05 I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T HAD MANY ADVANTAGES, BUT CAN YOU TELL 03:08 THAT I'M ON YOUR WAVE LENGTH ? 03:10 CAN YOU TELL WHAT I COULD DO WITH YOU IF I HAD THE CHANCE ? 03:13 MAN, I KNOW PLACES WHERE YOU COULD GET HEALED. 03:19 I KNOW A PLACE WHERE WATER MOVES. 03:22 YOU WANT TO GO WITH ME ? 03:23 C'MON BRO, LET ME TAKE YOU ON DOWN THERE; YOU WON'T KNOW 03:26 YOURSELF WHEN YOU GET BACK." 03:31 AND SHE'S DOWN THERE WITH YOU, TOO, AT LEAST TWO OR THREE DAYS. 03:35 AND THEN AFTER WHILE, "HEY, HEY, YOU KNOW SOMETHING ? 03:39 CAN YOU SEE THAT YOUNG LADY RIGHT UP THERE ? 03:42 WENT TO SCHOOL WITH HER. 03:44 YOU KNOW WHAT ? 03:45 I'D LIKE TO JUST GO UP THERE AND MAYBE TALK WITH HER. 03:48 I THINK I COULD GET UP THERE IN, WHAT, ABOUT HALF AN HOUR ? 03:51 COULD I RUN ON UP THERE AND JUST KIND OF SAY 'HEY!' TO 03:54 HER AND COME ON BACK ? 03:58 YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU, BUT I JUST NEED TO GO FOR A MINUTE. 04:01 I'M GOING TO BE RIGHT BACK." 04:07 AND THERE YOU ARE, BROTHER, AND DON'T THINK IT CAN'T HAPPEN. 04:10 AND I KNOW BROTHERS ARE VERY, VERY RELUCTANT TO ADMIT THAT 04:13 IT HAPPENED TO US, SO NOT ONE BROTHER OUT THERE IS 04:16 GOING TO GIVE ME ANY LOVE ON THIS POINT I'M MAKING. 04:20 YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND BE QUIET AND UNDERSTAND THAT 04:23 WE KNOW EACH OTHER. 04:26 HAPPENS TO THE BEST OF US. 04:27 BUT YOU ARE ABANDONED. 04:29 THE PAIN IS NOT THAT THEY LIED SO MUCH; IT'S THAT THEY 04:33 TOOK YOU ON SOME STRANGE JOURNEY THAT HAD NO REAL END. 04:38 AND THEN WHEN YOU WERE THERE BELIEVING, THEY ABANDONED YOU. 04:43 I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE WIVES WHO ARE ABANDONED 04:46 DOWN BY THE POOL. 04:48 I BELIEVE THAT SOME MAN TOLD YOU WHAT HE WOULD DO IF YOU 04:51 WOULD TRUST IN HIM--TOLD YOU HE WOULD MAKE YOU A STAR. 04:55 "COULD YOU JUST HELP ME GET MY DEGREE FIRST ? 05:02 WELL, I'M DOWN YOUR STREET NOW. 05:05 AND IF YOU HELP ME WITH MINE, GIRL, AS SOON AS I START RAKING 05:08 IN THAT BIG MONEY, ANY DEGREE YOU WANT, YOU HEAR ME ? 05:13 GET A DOUBLE IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN ? 05:16 I'LL BE ON THAT TUITION, WHATEVER YOU NEED. 05:19 CAN YOU GO WITH ME ON THAT PLAN ?" 05:22 AND AS SOON AS YOU HAVE PUT ALL OF YOUR EFFORT AND ALL 05:27 OF YOUR STRENGTH INTO IT, THEN ONE DAY HE COMES HOME 05:31 AFTER IT'S ALL DONE AND SAYS, "YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT 05:33 THIS TO COME OUT WRONG. 05:40 I JUST FEEL LIKE I'VE OUTGROWN THIS SITUATION. 05:45 YOU KNOW, THE LOVE WE HAD--I DON'T THINK ANYTHING CAN 05:51 DIMINISH THAT, BUT IT'S JUST THAT, UH, HOW CAN I SAY, THE 05:55 C@ALLENGE IS NOT STILL THERE. 06:00 AND I'VE GOT SOME FOLK THAT I COULD GO WITH AND, YOU KNOW, 06:03 WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY BREAKING UP; DON'T LOOK AT IT AS A BREAK UP. 06:07 I'M--I JUST NEED TO GO WITH THEM FOR A WHILE. 06:11 YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE ? 06:13 THAT'S WHAT I'M TRAINED TO DO NOW. 06:14 COULD I JUST GO UP THERE FOR A WHILE ? 06:17 YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU. 06:18 I JUST NEED TO GO FOR A WHILE AND I'LL BE RIGHT BACK." 06:25 AND BROTHERS, THERE ARE SOME WOMEN WHO WILL DO IT TO YOU. 06:30 ALL THEY WANT IS A MAN TO FINANCE THE FRONT END OF THEIR 06:34 CAREER, NOT THE WHOLE CAREER. 06:38 THEY JUST NEED YOU TO SUPPLY THAT DEGREE THEY DIDN'T PICK UP. 06:42 THEY'VE ALREADY GOT EVERY ONE; ALL THEY NEED IS THAT M-R-S. 06:48 Y'ALL A LITTLE SLOW. 06:53 "YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE DON'T SEE EYE-TO-EYE ON EVERYTHING, BUT 06:57 LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO GROW TOGETHER--YOU UNDERSTAND 06:59 WHAT I'M SAYING ? 07:00 WE'RE GOING TO GROW TOGETHER AND IN A FEW YEARS, NOBODY'S GOING 07:02 TO BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT THE BACKGROUNDS WERE, BECAUSE WE'RE 07:06 JUST GOING TO BE LIKE THAT. 07:07 WE'RE GOING TO BE INSEPARABLE." 07:10 BUT THEN SHE'S GONE AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT JUST THE 07:14 PAIN OF THE LIES, OR THE PAIN OF THE SPENT ENERGY. 07:20 IT'S THAT THERE YOU ARE IN A PLACE WHERE YOU EXPECTED 07:23 HEALING, BUT INSTEAD YOU HAVE BEEN ABANDONED. 07:27 YOU HAVE NOBODY. 07:30 AND WHAT THE MAN IS SAYING IS THIS--JESUS, I KNOW 07:33 WHOEVER YOU ARE--HE DOESN'T KNOW HIS NAME, YET. 07:37 HERE YOU ARE BENDING OVER ME; I WANT TO BELIEVE, BUT I 07:40 DON'T HAVE ANYBODY. 07:42 HERE HE IS, WANTING SOMEBODY TO TAKE HIM TO WATER THAT PROBABLY 07:47 MEANS NOTHING, WHEN THE ONE WHO BENDS OVER HIM HAS THE POWER TO 07:51 SNATCH AWAY ALL THE VARIABLES. 07:55 JESUS DOES NOT TAKE YOU THROUGH THE HOOPS; YOU DON'T NEED 07:59 ANYBODY TO LIFT YOU UP TO BRING YOU TO JESUS. 08:03 JESUS WILL COME WHERE YOU ARE ! 08:08 AND WHEN HE COMES, HE BRINGS HEALING WITH HIM. 08:11 SO JESUS DOES NOT COME TO SAY, "LET ME PICK YOU UP 08:14 AND TAKE YOU TO THE WATER." 08:15 JESUS HAS COME TO MAKE A VERY TERSE DECLARATION, 08:18 AND HERE IT IS. 08:20 HE BENDS OVER AND SAYS, "RISE, TAKE UP YOUR BED, AND WALK." 08:29 LET ME TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENS THEN. 08:31 I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU CAN GET YOUR BRAIN AROUND THIS OR 08:34 NOT, BECAUSE IT'S TOO SIMPLE. 08:35 EVERYBODY, WHEN THEY HEAR STUFF LIKE THIS, THEY 08:37 WANT LONG FORMULAE. 08:39 BUT WHEN JESUS SPEAKS, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE 08:41 LONG AND CONVOLUTED. 08:43 HE SAYS, "RISE, TAKE UP YOUR BED, AND WALK." 08:47 HE DID NOT SAY, "NOW, IN A MINUTE I'M GOING 08:51 TO SAY SOME WORDS TO YOU. 08:52 WHEN I SAY THEM TO YOU, BECAUSE I AM THE SON OF GOD 08:54 IN HUMAN FLESH; I HAVE LAID DOWN MY POWER, BUT I STILL 08:57 HAVE THE ABILITY TO CALL ON MY FATHER ABOVE, AND HE CAN 09:01 RELAY POWER TO ME THAT I CAN DISPENSE TO YOU, AND BECAUSE I 09:05 WAS THE CREATOR, AND MY FATHER CAN MAKE ME ONCE AGAIN HAVE 09:09 THAT SAME CREATING POWER, I HAVE THE POWER TO BRING YOU 09:12 BACK TO WHERE YOU OUGHT TO BE." 09:14 JESUS DIDN'T GO THROUGH ALL THAT. 09:16 IF YOU NEED THAT KIND OF EXPLANATION, YOU 09:17 DON'T NEED JESUS. 09:21 THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE TOO COMPLICATED 09:25 TO GET HEALED BY JESUS. 09:27 ALL YOU NEED TO DO WHEN JESUS SPEAKS IS TO BELIEVE ! 09:35 LISTEN, THE WORDS OF JESUS SPOKE SUDDEN POWER INTO THAT MAN'S 09:43 BODY--EVERY MUSCLE, EVERY NERVE OF HIS BODY THRILLED WITH THE 09:51 POWER OF THE WORDS OF JESUS ! 09:55 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, WHEN HE LOOKED UP IN HIS FACE, 09:57 HE FELT LOVE AND POWER. 09:59 HE FELT JESUS BREATHING THE POWER THAT WAS SUFFICIENT TO 10:02 GET HIM UP, SO HE DID NOT EXAMINE THE WORDS, HE DID NOT 10:06 START A FEASIBILITY STUDY, HE SIMPLY BELIEVED AND OBEYED. 10:14 NOW, I'VE TALKED TO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE TRAINED 10:17 IN THIS THING, AND HERE'S WHAT THEY SAY, "PASTOR, IF YOU'VE 10:20 BEEN PARALYZED FOR 38 YEARS, IT'S A NIGHTMARE FOR 10:25 A PHYSICAL THERAPIST." 10:27 HE SAID, "ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN PARALYZED THAT LONG, 10:29 THE MUSCLES HAVE ATROPHIED, AND THEY'VE TURNED INWARD." 10:34 IN FACT, MOST OF THEM AGREE THAT THIS MAN WAS IN ALMOST A FETAL 10:39 POSITION, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MUSCLES DO THAT ARE NOT USED. 10:45 HIS KNEES HAD PULLED UP TO HIS ABDOMEN. 10:48 HIS ARMS HAVE FOLDED AROUND EACH OTHER. 10:50 HIS HANDS, IF THEY MOVE AT ALL, ONLY TREMBLE FROM TIME TO TIME. 10:55 AND HE LOOKS LIKE AN OLD BABY. 10:59 AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN HAPPEN FOR HIM. 11:02 NOTHING. 11:03 MOST DOCTORS WHO WOULD LOOK AT HIM WOULD SAY, "NO, LET'S 11:06 WORK ON SOMEBODY ELSE. 11:08 THERE'S NO HOPE FOR HIM." 11:10 BUT ALL JESUS HAD TO DO WAS TO GO TO HIS BED AND SAY THOSE 11:14 SIMPLE WORDS, AND ALL THAT MAN HAD TO DO WAS TO SEIZE THE 11:20 POWER OF THE WORDS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THROUGH HIS BODY 11:25 WENT A CHARGE OF POWER THAT DID MORE THAN 10,000 PHYSICAL 11:30 THERAPISTS COULD HAVE DONE IN 10 YEARS BECAUSE IT WAS JESUS 11:34 SPEAKING, IT WAS BELIEF TAKING HOLD, AND IT WAS OBEDIENCE 11:38 MAKING THE POWER HAPPEN. 11:40 SO A MAN WHO CAN'T GET UP GETS UP. 11:45 IN FACT, THERE WAS NO STUMBLING. 11:46 THERE WAS NOBODY THERE TO HELP HIM. 11:49 JESUS DID NOT REACH OUT AND SAY, "LET ME HELP YOU." 11:51 HE HAD ALREADY SAID THE WORDS THAT COULD MAKE HIM WALK. 11:54 IN FACT, HE HAD THE POWER AT THAT MOMENT, NOT ONLY TO 11:56 WALK, BUT TO RUN, TO LEAP. 12:01 AND I KNOW THERE ARE SOME OF YOU SAYING, "SEE, THAT'S 12:03 THE REASON WHY I DON'T BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE." 12:05 AND THAT'S THE REASON YOU CAN'T GET ANY HELP ! 12:10 BECAUSE YOU'RE SO SMART, YOU KNOW SO MUCH. 12:16 LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, WHEN YOU COME TO JESUS, YOU'VE GOT 12:18 TO HAVE CHILD-LIKE FAITH. 12:21 MY WIFE WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE WAS TIME WHEN I WAS 12:25 IN A SWIMMING POOL. 12:26 MY LITTLE BOY HAD NO IDEA ABOUT SWIMMING. 12:29 IN FACT, I'D HAD HIM ON MY BACK FOR THE FIRST FEW HOURS, 12:32 AND WE WERE HAVING A BALL. 12:33 I SAID, "SON, LET ME TAKE YOU OVER HERE AND PUT YOU 12:35 DOWN SO DADDY CAN SWIM." 12:37 AND IT, YOU KNOW, SOUNDED LIKE HE AGREED. 12:39 HE SAID, "OKAY." 12:40 SO I TOOK HIM AND SET HIM DOWN BY HIS MOM AND I WENT BACK OUT 12:42 AND I STARTED SWIMMING. 12:44 WELL, MY WIFE LOOKED AWAY FOR JUST WHAT FELT LIKE A SECOND, 12:47 AND EVIDENTLY HE HAD NOT UNDERSTOOD THE DIRECTION I 12:52 GAVE HIM, SO HE GOT UP, CAME BACK AND JUMPED IN THE WATER. 12:57 LITTLE BITTY GUY; DIDN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THE 13:00 CONCEPT OF SWIMMING. 13:01 THE ONLY THING HE KNEW WAS HIS DADDY WAS IN THE WATER. 13:07 AW, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ME, BECAUSE--SO HE JUST GOT IN THE 13:13 WATER, STARTED GOING UP AND DOWN SWALLOWING WATER WITH A SMILE ON 13:18 HIS FACE, BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO WAY IN THE WORLD HE 13:23 COULD DROWN IN THAT WATER WHILE HIS DADDY WAS IN THAT WATER. 13:30 AND I THANK GOD THAT BEFORE HE WENT DOWN TOO MANY TIMES, I WENT 13:34 OVER AND GRABBED MY LITTLE DROWNING, SMILING SON. 13:39 AND WHEN I GRABBED HIM, THERE WAS NO FEAR IN HIS FACE. 13:43 WHEN HE FINALLY GOT ALL THAT WATER OUT OF HIS MOUTH, HE SAID, 13:45 "DADDY ! DADDY ! 13:48 I CAME BACK !" 13:50 THE FACT IS THAT IF YOU BELIEVE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. 13:58 WHAT MAKES ME ANGRY IS THAT WE HAVE COME TO A TIME WHERE 14:01 NOBODY BELIEVES ANYMORE. 14:05 HERE'S WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU--THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE 14:08 WORST TROUBLE ARE NOT THE WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN MISTREATED BY MEN 14:11 AND ABANDONED, OR THE MEN WHO HAVE BEEN MISTREATED BY WOMEN 14:14 AND ABANDONED, OR EVEN THE HUSBANDS OR THE WIVES--THE 14:18 PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE WORST TROUBLE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO 14:21 WENT DOWN THERE WITH SOMEBODY WHO WASN'T A FRIEND. 14:28 THEY FOLLOWED THE DEVIL DOWN THERE. 14:31 AND DON'T YOU TELL ME THE DEVIL DOESN'T MAKE GOOD OFFERS. 14:35 YOU KNOW, I HEAR PEOPLE ALL THE TIME ACTING LIKE 14:37 IT'S STUPID TO SIN. 14:38 WELL, IT IS, BUT IT'S SWEET UP FRONT. 14:42 IF SIN WERE NOT SWEET FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOBODY WOULD SIN. 14:48 COME ON FOLKS ! 14:50 I ALREADY KNEW WHO YOU ARE. 14:52 YOU CAN'T COME IN HERE FOOLING ME LIKE YOU'RE ALL HOLY AND 14:56 SANCTIFIED AND BEYOND SIN. 14:58 ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, 15:01 SO WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND GET REAL AND SAY YOU 15:03 FOLLOWED HIM A COUPLE OF TIMES, YOURSELF, BECAUSE 15:06 HE DOES MAKE GOOD OFFERS. 15:09 "YOU COME ON. 15:10 LOT OF PEOPLE GOT IN TROUBLE, BUT YOU'RE SLICK. 15:13 I CAN LOOK AT YOU AND TELL YOU'LL NEVER GET IN TROUBLE. 15:15 YOU'RE TOO SMART TO LET THEM CATCH YOU. 15:17 COME ON." 15:19 NOW HERE YOU ARE GOING, "YOU REALLY THINK I'M TOO SMART ?" 15:21 "YOU'RE TOO SMART. 15:22 I CAN LOOK AT YOU, LOOK AT YOUR FACE, LOOK AT 15:25 THE SHAPE OF YOUR HEAD. 15:29 YOU'RE SMART. 15:31 COME ON. 15:32 YOU KNOW, ANYBODY AS SMART AS YOU; WE'LL HAVE SOME 15:35 SERIOUS GOOD TIMES !" 15:36 AND THERE YOU GO. 15:39 YOU'RE FOLLOWING HIM AND HE TAKES YOU AND YOU SAY, 15:41 "WHERE ARE WE GOING ?" 15:42 "WE'RE GOING SOMEWHERE WHERE WATER MOVES." 15:48 "NO, NO, NO, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. 15:52 SEE, I READ A STORY LIKE THAT A LONG TIME AGO. 15:54 I DON'T THINK YOU WERE IN IT." 15:56 "YEAH, BUT SEE SOMETIMES YOU CAN READ THAT STUFF 15:59 AND GET CONFUSED. 16:01 WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU IS I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU 16:05 TO WHERE THE WATER MOVES. 16:08 YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEALED. 16:14 THERE YOU GO. 16:15 WELL, COME ON THEN." 16:18 SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE DEVIL DOWN THERE ? 16:22 WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU ? 16:23 WHAT HOPE DO YOU HAVE ? 16:25 BUT THE FACT IS THAT WE FIND OURSELVES LOCKED IN 16:31 SIN, NOT BECAUSE WE DETERMINE TO BE SINNERS, ALTHOUGH 16:35 ANYBODY, EVEN ATHEISTS, DON'T WANT TO BE SINNERS. 16:40 THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT WHOLE THING. 16:43 ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS ENJOY SELF-DETERMINATION. 16:46 NOBODY WANTS TO BE A SINNER, BUT YOU FOLLOW HIM DOWN 16:50 THERE, IT'S KIND OF DIFFERENT WITH HIM, BECAUSE WHEN HE 16:54 TURNS ON YOU, IT'S UGLY. 16:57 "HEY, LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING--HOW ARE YOU 17:00 ENJOYING YOURSELF DOWN HERE ? 17:02 PEOPLE BEEN TRAMPLING OVER YOUR HEAD. 17:05 FOLKS BEEN STEPPING ON YOUR BACK. 17:08 I WAS CHECKING YOU OUT THERE THE OTHER DAY; ABOUT 24 17:10 PEOPLE ROLLED OVER YOUR BACK. 17:13 WERE YOU THINKING WHILE THEY WERE STEPPING ON YOU THAT 17:15 I HAD LIED TO YOU ? 17:18 SO IT DAWNED ON YOU THAT I DIDN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY 17:20 THE TRUTH, DID IT ? 17:22 DID A BELL RING IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD ? 17:24 DID YOU THINK YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS SMART 17:26 AS I TOLD YOU YOU WERE ? 17:27 AND HERE YOU ARE DOWN HERE WITH ME, AND GUESS WHAT, YOU'RE 17:30 RIGHT; I'M NOT IN THIS STORY. 17:32 THIS IS NOT A STORY THAT I CAN CONTROL. 17:36 AND SINCE YOU'RE DOWN HER WITH ME, I CAN TELL YOU THAT 17:39 YOUR PLIGHT IS PRACTICALLY WITHOUT HOPE." 17:45 I'M JUST HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT EVEN WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE ARCH 17:51 DECEIVER DOWN TO A PLACE THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A HEALING 17:57 POWER, THE ONE WHO WILL COME AND GET YOU IS STILL JESUS. 18:08 I CAME FROM AN ACADEMY THAT IS WELL-KNOWN IN SOME CIRCLES, 18:15 AND I HAD GOTTEN MY LEARNER'S PERMIT, BUT HAD NOT FULLY GOTTEN 18:20 MY DRIVER'S LICENSE, BUT I HAD A FRIEND WITH ME WHO SHALL BE 18:23 NAMELESS--ALL OF YOU WOULD KNOW HIM, BUT I CAN'T NAME HIM; 18:26 WE'VE GOT THAT AGREEMENT. 18:28 WE GOT HOME AND I SAID, "DAD, LET ME BORROW THE CAR." 18:33 "GOT YOUR LICENSE ?" 18:34 "YEAH." 18:36 "ALL RIGHT." 18:37 SO, YOU KNOW, THE CAR WASN'T MUCH, BUT IT WAS ALL WE HAD. 18:40 I TOOK IT OUT AND WE WERE TALKING AS WE PULLED OUT OF THE 18:43 DRIVEWAY--"WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO ? 18:46 WE'RE GOING TO TEAR THIS LITTLE OLD TOWN UP !" 18:49 Y'ALL DIDN'T THINK NEW PREACHERS TALKED LIKE THAT. 18:52 I WAS IN COLLEGE; I WAS ALLOWED. 18:55 "OH, WE GOING TO HAVE SOME FUN." 18:58 THE WEATHER WAS A LITTLE FUNNY. 19:00 IT WAS MISTY, GRAY, YOU COULD BARELY SEE THREE CAR LENGTHS 19:03 IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT, WE HAD THE CAR, 19:07 WE WERE ALL DRESSED UP. 19:08 HAD ON THOSE LITTLE FUNNY HATS. 19:09 WAY BACK IN THOSE DAYS, THE MOST ATTRACTIVE HAT A MAN COULD WEAR 19:13 WAS CALLED A STINGY BRIM. 19:17 GOT SOME OLD MEN IN HERE NOW; I CAN FEEL YOU. 19:22 WE HAD 'EM ALL, LITTLE BRIM--AS WE CAME UP TO A BLINKING 19:27 LIGHT, IT WAS BLINKING YELLOW TOWARDS US. 19:31 I GUESS IT WAS BLINKING RED THE OTHER WAY, AND YOU'RE 19:35 SUPPOSED TO SLOW DOWN, BUT, HEY, TWO YOUNG MEN ON THEIR WAY 19:39 TO TOWN TO PAINT IT COLORS. 19:41 SO I HIT THE GAS. 19:44 IT WAS A CAR THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYMORE. 19:47 IT WAS CALLED A RAMBLER. 19:50 IT HAD UNDER ITS HOOD A TRUSTY, TAKE THAT BACK--IT HAD UNDER 19:55 ITS HOOD A 6-CYLINDER THAT MADE A SOUND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR 20:00 WAS FULLY DEPRESSED--ALMOST NOTHING HAPPENED. 20:09 CAME TO THE BLINKING YELLOW, HIT THE GAS--I LOOKED OUT OF 20:15 MY PERIPHERAL VISION AND SAW A TRUCK COMING AS FAST AS IT 20:19 COULD COME, BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH POWER IN THAT CAR TO 20:23 GET IT OUT OF THE WAY, AND THE TRUCK HIT THE RAMBLER AND SENT 20:27 IT AROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES 20:31 IT WENT AROUND, BUT WHEN IT LANDED, IT LANDED IN FRONT 20:34 OF A GROCERY STORE, THE REAR END INSIDE THE STORE. 20:41 I'M SITTING THERE IN ALABAMA WITH A LEARNER'S PERMIT, 20:50 AND NO LICENSED DRIVER SITTING NEXT TO ME. 20:54 THE TWO ELDERLY PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE THE SAME 20:59 SUNTAN THAT I HAVE. 21:03 I'M JUST WAITING ON YOU. 21:06 PRESENTLY THERE WAS A SHERIFF. 21:08 IT'S THE QUINTESSENTIAL SOUTHERN SHERIFF. 21:11 HE'S GOT A POTBELLY. 21:12 HE'S GOT A BIG LBJ STETSON HAT. 21:16 HE'S CHEWING ON THE NUB OF A CIGAR, AND HE COMES AROUND 21:19 AND SAYS, "BOY, YOU IN A HEAP OF TROUBLE." 21:23 AS THOUGH I DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW ! 21:26 THE PERSON WHO WAS WITH ME SAID, "LET ME SWITCH WITH YOU." 21:29 I SAID, "NO, MAN, I'M IN ENOUGH TROUBLE. 21:31 THIS IS THE END OF THIS STUFF. 21:32 NO MORE LIES, NO MORE PREVARICATION. 21:35 WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THIS. 21:36 I RAN OVER TO THE PAY PHONE; THERE WERE NO CELL PHONES 21:39 THEN, AND I CALLED, OF ALL PEOPLE, MY DAD. 21:44 THE SAME MAN I JUST LIED TO AND TAKEN HIS CAR AND WRECKED IT. 21:49 IT WAS INSIDE A STORE, AND HERE I AM GETTING READY TO ASK MY DAD 21:53 TO COME HELP ME, AND I SAID, "DAD, I'VE GOT A PROBLEM." 21:57 I SAID, "THE CAR'S WRECKED, TWO OLD PEOPLE SAY THEIR BACKS 22:02 ARE HURTING, THERE'S A STORE OWNER THAT SAYS I'VE GOT TO 22:07 FIX EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH HIS STORE, AND, 22:11 INCIDENTALLY WHEN I TOLD YOU THIS MORNING I HAD A LICENSE, 22:15 I HAD A LEARNER'S PERMIT." 22:18 AND THAT'S THE POINT WHERE YOUR FATHER OUGHT TO TELL YOU OFF. 22:22 BUT A REAL FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY GOT 22:25 ENOUGH TROUBLE. 22:27 HE SAID, "SON, JUST STAY RIGHT THERE. 22:29 I GOT TO GET A RIDE." 22:32 I'M IN THE ONLY CAR MY FAMILY'S GOT. 22:35 MY FATHER CAME--IT'S A LONG STORY. 22:37 HERE'S THE SHORT SIDE OF IT. 22:39 DAD WENT IN AND SAID, "I'M A CONTRACTOR, I WILL MAKE 22:42 YOUR STORE LOOK BETTER THAN IT DID BEFORE MY SON 22:44 CAME INTO YOUR DOORS." 22:46 HE WENT OVER TO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE TRUCK AND SAID, 22:48 "WOULD YOU PLEASE, CAN YOU GET TO A HOSPITAL ? 22:50 IF YOU CAN, HERE'S MY CARD. 22:52 I WILL PAY EVERY CENT OF YOUR MEDICAL BILL." 22:55 WENT OVER TO THE SHERIFF, AND THIS WAS THE HARD SELL. 22:57 HE SAID, "SIR, DO YOU HAVE A SON ?" 23:03 I SAW THAT CIGAR SLACK IN HIS MOUTH AND DROP. 23:07 I SAID, "THERE IS A GOD !" 23:10 DAD SAID, "IF YOU'VE GOT A SON, YOU UNDERSTAND HOW I FEEL TODAY. 23:14 MY BOY OUGHT TO BE A PREACHER, BUT THIS DAY 23:17 COULD RUIN IT FOR HIM. 23:18 I NEED YOUR HELP TO SAVE MY BOY, AND LET HIM DO WHAT 23:22 GOD HAS CALLED HIM TO DO. 23:24 WILL YOU WORK WITH ME ?" 23:27 AND THE SOUTHERN SHERIFF PULLED OFF HIS REFLECTIVE 23:30 GLASSES AND SAID, "I FEEL YOUR PAIN AND I'M GOING 23:33 TO WORK WITH YOU." 23:34 AND I STAND HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF A FATHER. 23:47 LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO YOU-EVERY ONE OF 23:52 US IS DOWN BY THE POOL. 23:56 EVERY ONE OF US HAS BEEN ABANDONED. 24:01 SOMEBODY LIED TO US. 24:05 MAYBE WE LIED TO OURSELVES, AND HERE WE ARE WITH NOBODY TO HELP, 24:09 AND I TELL YOU THAT IF EVERYBODY ELSE HAS ABANDONED YOU, THE BEST 24:15 NEWS YOU CAN HEAR RIGHT NOW IS THAT THERE IS ONE WHO WILL 24:19 NEVER, NEVER, NEVER LEAVE YOU ! 24:29 IN FACT, THE THING THAT I WANT TO MAKE AS CLEAR AS GOD WILL 24:32 HELP ME MAKE IT DURING THIS WEEK THAT IS WAY TOO SHORT, IS THAT 24:37 IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE POOL. 24:42 IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHO BROUGHT YOU DOWN HERE, AND 24:44 IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE HOW SOON THEY ABANDONED YOU. 24:47 EVERYBODY GETS ABANDONED EVENTUALLY, BECAUSE 24:50 NOBODY STAYS WITH YOU. 24:51 YOU CAN'T TRUST ANYBODY ELSE WHEN YOUR MOTHER AND 24:55 FATHER FORSAKE YOU--JESUS WILL TAKE YOU UP ! 25:04 SO I WANT TO SAY TO YOU TONIGHT THAT NO MATTER WHAT STUFF YOU'VE 25:07 DONE, NO MATTER WHAT BAGGAGE YOU CARRY, NO MATTER HOW MANY 25:12 PEOPLE YOU'VE LIED TO--MAYBE YOU'VE LIED TO THE VERY PEOPLE 25:15 WHO YOU NEED TO HELP, AND THE FACT IS THAT EVERY ONE OF 25:18 US HAS LIED TO JESUS. 25:23 AND THE MIRACLE IS THAT HE KNEW YOU WOULD LIE BEFORE 25:27 YOU LIED, KNEW YOUR LIE WHILE YOU WERE TELLING IT, AND 25:32 LOVED YOU THROUGH IT. 25:36 AND EVEN NOW, AFTER YOU'VE LIED YOURSELF INTO A CORNER 25:40 THAT YOU THINK IS INESCAPABLE; TONIGHT JESUS BENDS OVER 25:50 YOUR BED AND SAYS, "CAN I DO ANYTHING FOR YOU ? 25:55 WHAT DO YOU NEED ?" 25:57 AND WHAT YOU OUGHT TO SAY IS "YOU CAN HELP ME. 26:02 I'VE LIED TO YOU. 26:04 HOW COULD YOU HELP ME WHEN YOU ARE THE ONE 26:07 WHO I'VE HURT THE MOST ?" 26:09 BUT JESUS IS NOT ABOUT TO LISTEN TO YOUR STORY. 26:13 HE CAME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THE LOST. 26:19 SO TONIGHT HE WILL BEND OVER YOUR BED AND SAY, "RISE, 26:29 TAKE UP YOUR BED AND WALK." 26:33 IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, IF YOU CAN OBEY HIM, YOU WILL NOT 26:37 SHUDDER, YOU WILL NOT SHAKE, YOU WILL NOT FALL; YOU WILL STAND 26:43 IN THE POWER OF CHRIST, AND YOU WILL WALK IN HIS NAME. 26:48 GOD BLESS YOU. 26:50 Announcer: JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR MORE BREATH OF LIFE WITH 26:54 PASTOR WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 27:29 Announcer: TO ORDER CD OR AUDIOCASSETTE COPY OF THIS 27:31 BREATH OF LIFE BROADCAST, JUST CALL OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER, 27:34 877-BOL-OFFER. 27:36 THAT'S 877-265-6333, OR YOU MAY WRITE TO: 27:41 BREATH OF LIFE, P.O. BOX 97192, 27:44 WASHINGTON, DC, 20077. 27:48 THE CD OR AUDIOCASSETTE IS YOURS FOR A GIFT OF $5.00 OR MORE. 27:52 IF YOU'D LIKE TO PURCHASE A DVD OR VHS COPY, JUST LET US. 27:54 THANKYOU FOR WATCHING AND SUPPORTING BREATH OF LIFE. 28:01 (theme music) |
Revised 2015-02-05