Participants: Pr. Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000411
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00:02 Announcer: BREATH OF LIFE PRESENTS;
00:05 EXPERIENCE THE POWER WITH WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 00:09 TODAY, PASTOR PEARSON'S MESSAGE IS ENTITLED SURPRISES 00:12 AND DISAPPOINTMENTS. 00:14 (theme music) TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO 00:26 THE BOOK OF LUKE. 00:27 LUKE, CHAPTER 4. 00:29 WE'LL TAKE JUST A LITTLE, TINY BEGINNING OF THE SERMON, 00:34 AND THEN WE'LL GO TO, WELL, I'M GIVING YOU ADVANCE NOTICE, 00:40 WE'RE GOING TO SECOND KINGS, CHAPTER 5 AFTER THAT. 00:44 SO, IF YOU NEED A LITTLE TIME TO FIND SECOND KINGS, 00:46 CHAPTER 5, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP TO LUKE. 00:49 BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BE AFTERWARDS. 00:51 SO, WE'RE IN LUKE, CHAPTER 4, AND LET'S LOOK AT VERSE 27. 00:58 HERE'S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. 00:59 AND MANY LEPERS WERE IN ISRAEL IN THE TIME OF 01:03 ELISEUS, THE PROPHET. 01:06 AND NONE OF THEM WAS CLEANSED SAVING NAAMAN, THE SYRIAN. 01:12 WE'VE ENTITLED OUR STUDY FOR TONIGHT "SURPRISES 01:14 AND DISAPPOINTMENTS." 01:16 WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME ? 01:18 FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU 01:22 ARE ACCOMPLISHING IN YOUR NAME. 01:25 WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR JESUS AND WHAT HE DOES IN OUR 01:28 PRESENCE TO GIVE US COURAGE TO BUILD OUR FAITH. 01:32 AND NOW, TONIGHT, ONCE AGAIN, I DARE NOT GO FORWARD UNTIL 01:36 I HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT YOU ARE HERE WITH US. 01:39 YOU HAVE SAID THAT WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED 01:42 IN YOUR NAME, YOU WILL BE IN THE MIDST OF THEM. 01:45 SO, ALL AROUND THE GLOBE, WHEREVER THE DOWN-LINK 01:48 SITES ARE TONIGHT, FATHER BE THERE WITH EVERYONE. 01:53 AND I PRAY THAT BECAUSE OF IT WE SHALL EXPERIENCE THE 01:56 POWER IN JESUS'S NAME, AMEN. 02:00 THIS IS A MARVELOUS STORY. 02:03 IF I GET CARRIED AWAY, AND SOMETIMES I DO, I 02:07 HOPE YOU'LL FORGIVE ME. 02:08 THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES WHO RESPOND TO THE 02:11 WORD OF GOD IN DIFFERENT WAYS. 02:13 SOME PEOPLE ARE VERY QUIET. 02:15 I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST YOU. 02:17 IN FACT, MY RULE IS VERY SIMPLE. 02:19 YOU DON'T TELL ME HOW TO PREACH, I WON'T TELL YOU HOW TO RESPOND. 02:24 BUT I PROMISE YOU THIS ONE GETS ME EXCITED. 02:27 YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THIS GENTLEMAN IS MOST OFTEN 02:31 REFERRED TO AS NAAMAN. 02:34 THERE'S A LITTLE DIP IN THAT NAME THAT I'VE HAD TO PUT. 02:37 I AM FROM THE STATE OF ALABAMA. 02:40 MY TONGUE DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY SPEAK IN THE CADENCE THAT'S 02:43 KNOWN IN THE MIDDLE EAST. 02:45 SO, IF I REVERT TO NAAMAN, YOU WON'T BE MAD AT ME, WILL YOU ? 02:49 IT'S A CULTURAL THING. 02:51 BUT NAAMAN IS A MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR. 02:57 HE'S A MILITARY STRATEGIST. 03:00 THROUGH HIM GOD HAS GIVEN SOME AMAZING TALENTS. 03:05 NOW, SOMEBODY WILL SAY GOD WAS NOT ON THE SIDE OF THE SYRIANS. 03:09 YOU CAN'T SAY THAT GOD BLESSED NAAMAN WHEN HE WAS AGAINST 03:14 THE PEOPLE OF GOD. 03:15 AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO THINK IF YOU'RE NOT ON MY SIDE, 03:20 YOU'RE NOT ON GOD'S SIDE. 03:22 I BELIEVE GOD GIVES BLESSINGS TO PEOPLE ON EVERY SIDE 03:27 OF EVERY EQUATION. 03:29 AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERY TALENT, EVERY SKILL COMES 03:33 FROM THE HAND OF GOD. 03:35 YOU DECIDE HOW YOU USE IT. 03:37 SO, ALLOW ME, IF YOU WILL, TO BELIEVE THAT EVEN NAAMAN, 03:43 WHILE HE WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE TO US, STILL HAD TO 03:47 GET HIS SKILLS FROM GOD. 03:50 HE HAD WON MANY VICTORIES. 03:52 HE UNDERSTOOD HOW TO GO IN SKILLFULLY, PERHAPS USE 03:58 THE PHALANX AND SURROUND THE ENEMIES, SO THAT BEFORE 04:01 THEY EVEN KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING, HE WAS UPON THEM. 04:05 AND THE KING OF SYRIA, BENADAD,O TALK ABOUT HOW POWERFUL WAS 04:16 WITH THAT KIND OF THING. 04:34 SO, FORGIVE ME IF I THINK THAT WHEN THEY SAW HIM COMING THERE 04:36 WAS A, HEY, HEY, HEY. 04:38 HEY LOOK. 04:39 THERE HE IS. 04:41 WHO ? 04:42 NAAMAN. 04:43 COMING IN HIS CHARIOT. 04:45 YOU EVER SEE A CHARIOT LIKE THAT ? 04:49 YEAH, LOOK AT HIM, HERE HE COMES. 04:51 NOW, YOU KNOW SOMETHING, WHEN I GROW UP, I'M GOING 04:55 TO BE JUST LIKE NAAMAN. 04:58 HE WAS A MAN OF VALOR. 05:00 HE WAS A MAN OF POWER. 05:02 WHEN YOU GET POWER, MONEY USUALLY FOLLOWS IT. 05:08 SO, I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT WHEN HE SHOWED UP HE 05:10 WORE CLOTHING THAT BETOKENED HIS PLACE IN LIFE. 05:15 THAT'S USUALLY HOW IT GOES. 05:19 THERE WAS, HOWEVER, A CHINK IN NAAMAN'S ARMOR. 05:23 WITH ALL OF THE POWER THAT HE HAD, HE ALSO HAD A 05:27 DISEASE THAT WAS AN AWFUL DISTRACTION TO WHO HE WAS. 05:34 HE WAS A LEPER. 05:37 NOW, I COULD DESCRIBE IT IN FAIRLY GOOD DETAIL. 05:39 I THINK I CAN MAKE SOME OF YOU EVEN GET A LITTLE 05:41 NAUSEAUS BECAUSE I'VE STUDIED WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE. 05:45 I KNOW THAT COLORATION OF THE SKIN AND HOW 05:47 THE COLORS CHANGED. 05:48 I KNOW THAT THE HAIR THAT WAS NORMALLY ON THE BODY 05:52 WOULD ALSO CHANGE COLOR. 05:53 I COULD EXPLAIN THINGS IN DETAIL THAT WOULD BE 05:58 A LITTLE HARD TO STAND. 05:59 SO LET'S JUST SAY THAT LEPROSY WAS NOT ANYTHING 06:03 YOU WANTED TO HAVE. 06:04 IT MIGHT BE EQUIVALENT TO SOME OF THE DISEASES 06:06 WE KNOW NOW THAT CARRY A SOCIAL STIGMA WITH THEM. 06:11 AND SO, EVEN THOUGH THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THE BOYS MIGHT HAVE BEEN 06:16 EXCITED ABOUT WHAT HE WAS AND WHAT HE HAD DONE, WHEN THEY 06:20 THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING CLOSE TO HIM, SOMEBODY HAD TO SAY, YEAH, 06:27 BUT DON'T GET CLOSE TO HIM. 06:30 WHY NOT ? 06:32 HE'S GOT LEPROSY. 06:34 AND YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW THAT THING MOVES. 06:37 IT MIGHT, YOU MIGHT GET IT. 06:40 IT MIGHT COME OFF OF HIM. 06:42 SO YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW QUITE TO TAKE HIM. 06:44 HERE WAS A MAN WITH ALL OF THIS POWER AND YET HE 06:47 HAS THIS PROBLEM THAT DETRACTS FROM WHO HE IS. 06:53 IF ANYBODY HAD THE RESOURCES TO BE HEALED, IT WAS NAAMAN. 06:58 I HAVE NO QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT HE WENT TO THE BEST 07:02 PHYSICIANS THAT SYRIA HAD. 07:04 WHEN YOU'VE GOT MONEY, YOU CAN GET THE BEST MEDICAL CARE. 07:07 YOU CAN TRAVEL ANYWHERE. 07:09 YOU CAN GO WHERE THE DOCTORS ARE, OR YOU CAN 07:12 PAY TO FLY THEM IN TO YOU. 07:15 IF YOU DON'T HAVE RESOURCES, IT'S DIFFICULT. 07:18 BUT THIS MAN COMMANDED EVERYTHING THAT HE NEEDED. 07:21 SO, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT HE HAD TRIED EVERY PHYSICIAN. 07:25 THEN, AFTER YOU RUN OUT OF PHYSICIANS YOU, WELL, 07:28 TODAY YOU WOULD GET ON LATE-NIGHT TELEVISION 07:31 AND WATCH INFOMERCIALS. 07:34 AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF THEM THAT TELL YOU HOW TO 07:36 CURE PRACTICALLY ANYTHING. 07:38 YOU'RE NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S TRUE OR NOT. 07:40 THEY SAY IF YOU USE THIS PILL OR THIS POWDER, OR IF 07:43 YOU GET INTO THIS REGIMEN. 07:45 BUT MAYBE HE HAD EVEN TRIED THINGS, NOT ON TELEVISION, OF 07:49 COURSE, BUT SOMEBODY WOULD COME AND SAY, NAAMAN, I'VE HEARD OF A 07:54 CURE AND YOU OUGHT TO TRY THAT. 07:57 PERHAPS EVEN THOSE FOLKS WITH THOSE OLD WIVES' TALES. 08:02 YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD SOME OF THOSE ? 08:04 YOU'D BETTER BE CAREFUL WITH THEM. 08:06 SOME OF THEM MAYBE BE TRUE, BUT OTHERS WILL 08:09 HAVE YOU DOING THINGS THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU OUGHT NOT DO. 08:12 EVEN WHEN YOU BEGIN TO START WITH THEM, A BELL OUGHT TO RING 08:15 IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD AND TELL YOU YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR. 08:18 BUT IF YOU ARE WEARY OF YOUR ILLNESS, YOU WILL 08:22 TRY PRACTICALLY ANYTHING TO GET RID OF IT. 08:25 SO, IN THIS HOUSE, THERE WAS A THEME THAT WAS THERE. 08:31 AND THE THEME COULD NOT BE IGNORED BECAUSE THE MAN 08:35 OF THE HOUSE, WITH ALL OF HIS POWER, EVERY TIME HE MOVED 08:39 YOU LOOKED AT HIM YOU SAW SPOTS ON HIS SKIN AND YOU 08:43 RECOGNIZE THAT AS HE MOVED HE MAY HAVE A TWISTED JOINT. 08:47 AND SOMEBODY WOULD SAY, THAT'S SO SAD. 08:51 NAAMAN IS A LEPER. 08:53 WELL, IN ONE OF THE RAIDS THAT THE SYRIANS WOULD OFTEN CONDUCT 08:59 SOMEONE WENT INTO ISRAEL, AND THIS IS A VERY SAD STORY. 09:04 THEY SNATCHED FROM HER HOME, A LITTLE GIRL, TOOK HER FROM HER 09:09 FAMILY, BROUGHT HER INTO SYRIA. 09:13 AND SHE MUST HAVE BEEN PRECOCIOUS IN SOME KIND 09:16 OF WAY, BECAUSE SHE ENDS UP IN THE HOUSE OF NAAMAN. 09:22 IF SHE WERE LAZY, SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN THERE. 09:25 I OUGHT TO PAUSE TO PUNCTUATE THAT. 09:28 I KNOW PEOPLE RIGHT NOW WHO ARE PRAYING FOR WONDERFUL THINGS 09:31 TO HAPPEN IN THEIR LIVES. 09:32 AND I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT GOD FEEDS THE BIRDS, BUT HE DOES 09:36 NOT THROW WORMS IN THEIR NEST. 09:44 IF YOU WANT A JOB, YOU OUGHT TO GO WHERE JOBS ARE. 09:47 ON A MONDAY MORNING, YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN YOUR BED 09:50 STILL ASLEEP, THINKING THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO KNOCK ON 09:54 YOUR DOOR AND SAY, HEY, I HEARD YOU WERE LOOKING FOR A JOB. 09:58 THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT HAPPENS. 10:00 GOD WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS, BUT YOU OUGHT TO BE IN THE 10:03 VICINITY OF ANSWERS. 10:06 SO, IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR A JOB, BE WHERE JOBS ARE. 10:10 IN FACT, YOU'VE GOT TO SHOW SOME INITIATIVE. 10:13 GOD DOES NOT REWARD PEOPLE WHO ONLY PRAY. 10:17 UNTIL YOU HAVE PRAYED, THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN 10:20 YOU CAN DO EXCEPT PRAY. 10:22 BUT WHEN YOU HAVE PRAYED, YOU OUGHT TO BEGIN TO MOVE AT THE 10:26 DICTATES OF GOD, BECAUSE GOD REWARDS THOSE WHO KNOCK, WHO 10:31 SEEK, THOSE WHO ARE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION THAT HE DIRECTS. 10:37 THIS LITTLE GIRL MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE SOMEBODY BECAUSE THEY 10:40 SAID, LOOK, YOU ARE PERFECT. 10:41 WE'RE GOING TO SEND YOU TO A NICE HOUSE. 10:44 I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE BEING HERE, BUT SINCE YOU'VE GOT TO BE 10:49 HERE ANYWAY, WE'RE GOING TO SEND YOU TO THE HOUSE OF LORD NAAMAN. 10:55 AND WHEN YOU GET THERE, YOU'LL DISCOVER THAT YOU'LL BE 10:57 SURROUNDED BY WEALTH AND LUXURY. 10:59 NOW, REALITY CHECK. 11:03 YOU TAKE ME FROM MY HOME. 11:09 TAKE ME FROM MY COUNTRY, TAKE ME FROM MY FAMILY, AND 11:14 THEN YOU THINK I'M GOING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT GOING 11:17 TO SOME SOLDIER'S HOUSE ? 11:19 I'M SO GLAD THAT I WAS NOT IN THE SPOT WHERE 11:23 THIS LITTLE GIRL IS. 11:25 BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN SO QUICK 11:29 TO MOVE AT GOD'S COMMANDS. 11:32 I THINK I WOULD HAVE HAD A MOMENT WHERE I WOULD HAVE 11:34 BEEN TOO BITTER TO RESPOND. 11:37 BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IF THEY PUT ME IN THAT 11:39 HOUSE, I MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT, AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE, I WISH 11:44 HIS HAND WOULD DROP OFF. 11:50 BRING ME OVER HERE. 11:52 I MEAN, A SLAVE IN HIS HOUSE. 11:55 I WISH HIS LEG WOULD FALL OFF AND HE'D GO SIDEWAYS 11:58 AND SINK SOMEWHERE. 12:01 BUT WHEN HE CAME BY I WOULD KNOW THAT I NEEDED TO SAY, 12:03 HELLO THERE, LORD NAAMAN. 12:06 HOW ARE YOU THIS MORNING ? 12:08 BUT YOU KNOW SOMETHING ? 12:09 THE POWER OF JESUS CAN KEEP YOU FROM BECOMING BITTER IN 12:14 THE WORST OF CIRCUMSTANCES. 12:18 PAIN IS INEVITABLE. 12:20 MISERY IS OPTIONAL. 12:24 NOBODY HAS TO BE MISERABLE. 12:27 IN FACT, YOU CAN TELL ME ALL ABOUT YOUR SITUATION TONIGHT. 12:29 AND I'M SURE IF WE GAVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY 12:32 WE'D TALK EACH OTHER DOWN TO THE DREGS, WE'D CHASE 12:35 EACH OTHER TO SOME RIVER AND JUMP IN CORPORATELY. 12:39 BUT THE FACT IS THAT YOU MAY BE SURROUNDED BY NEGATIVE 12:43 SITUATIONS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET BATHED IN NEGATIVITY. 12:48 YOU DON'T HAVE TO TURN BITTER JUST BECAUSE YOUR 12:51 SITUATION IS BITTER. 12:52 IN FACT, I POSIT IT TO YOU THAT JESUS IS SO POWERFUL THAT 12:56 HE CAN FIND YOU IN A TERRIBLE SITUATION AND HIS LOVE CAN 13:01 PIPE INTO YOUR MIND AND INTO YOUR HEART UNTIL YOU ARE 13:07 DIFFERENT THAN WHERE YOU ARE. 13:09 ANYBODY CAN BE MISERABLE IN THE MIDST OF MISERY. 13:14 IT TAKES SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS JESUS TO BE DIFFERENT THAN 13:17 YOUR SURROUNDINGS. 13:19 AND I SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU OUGHT NOT LANGUISH 13:23 WHERE YOU ARE. 13:24 IN FACT, THERE IS SOMEBODY HERE TONIGHT WHO COULD TELL US, 13:26 I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GO HOME. 13:29 I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. 13:30 PICK UP A LITTLE JESUS BEFORE YOU GO HOME. 13:32 TAKE HIM HOME WITH YOU. 13:34 IN FACT, LET HIM GO HOME BEFORE YOU. 13:38 LET HIM GET THERE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE. 13:41 AND I PROMISE YOU THAT EVEN IF JESUS DOES NOT CHANGE YOUR 13:44 SITUATION, HE WILL CHANGE YOU SO MUCH THAT YOU REACT TO 13:48 YOUR SITUATION DIFFERENTLY. 13:50 DO YOU SEE IT ? 13:51 THAT'S THE POWER OF JESUS. 13:53 SO, THIS LITTLE GIRL IS NOT QUITE LIKE I AM. 13:56 I ADMIT IT. 13:58 ONE DAY IT COMES TO HER THAT MAYBE NO DOCTOR IN SYRIA CAN 14:03 HEAL NAAMAN, BUT SHE REMEMBERS THAT THERE WAS A PROPHET, A 14:09 PROPHET IN HER HOMELAND, WHO HAD POWER BEYOND PHYSICIANS. 14:16 WELL, THAT'S SOME INFORMATION THAT I MIGHT HAVE KEPT. 14:20 BECAUSE I'M BEING HONEST WITH YOU, HERE I AM IN A FOREIGN 14:23 LAND AND A FOREIGN HOUSE AND I'VE GOT TO DO WHAT THEY SAY. 14:26 BUT THIS YOUNG LADY WAS SO MOVED BY THE POWER OF JESUS 14:31 THAT SHE SUGGESTS TO SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, IF HE REALLY WANTS 14:35 TO BE HEALED, I KNOW A MAN. 14:40 YOU KNOW, A PREACHER OUGHT NOT EVER SAY THINGS LIKE THAT 14:42 BECAUSE I'M TEMPTED TO TAKE OFF ON "I KNOW A MAN," BUT 14:45 WE'LL DO THAT LATER ON. 14:48 JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I RECOGNIZED IT WHEN I PASSED. 14:52 I KNOW SOMEBODY. 14:54 AND SHE SAYS TO MAYBE THE WIFE, MAYBE ONE OF THE OTHER 14:58 SERVANTS, IF HE REALLY WANTS TO BE HEALED, THERE'S A MAN 15:02 IN ISRAEL WHO MOVES BY POWER THAT IS GREATER THAN HE IS. 15:08 AND SOMEBODY BEGAN, WELL, YOU KNOW HOW IT IS. 15:10 WHISPERING. 15:11 AT THE OFFICE WHERE YOU WORK. 15:14 DON'T THEY DO IT ? 15:15 BAD NEWS MOVES VERY QUICKLY. 15:17 GOOD NEWS MOVES EVENTUALLY. 15:22 AND SOMEBODY WOULD SAY, DID ANYBODY TELL HIM, THE LITTLE 15:26 GIRL, YOU KNOW THE LITTLE GIRL ? 15:28 NICE LITTLE GIRL. 15:29 SHE DIDN'T GET MAD. 15:30 I'M SHOCKED. 15:32 BECAUSE IF I WAS THAT LITTLE GIRL, I'D BE 15:34 CRYING ALL DAY LONG. 15:35 BUT SHE'S GOT SOMETHING IN HER THAT JUST KEEPS HER KIND OF 15:37 BOUNCING AROUND AND EVEN THOUGH SHE'S AWAY FROM HER FAMILY 15:41 AND HER PARENTS, SHE STILL HAD THE POWER IN HER THAT KEEPS 15:44 HER FROM TURNING BITTER. 15:46 AND INCIDENTALLY, THE LITTLE GIRLS SAYS SHE KNOWS 15:48 SOMEBODY WHO COULD HEAL LORD NAAMAN OF HIS LEPROSY. 15:53 WILL SOMEBODY GO TELL HIM ? 15:54 WELL, I'M SCARED TO TELL HIM, BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T 15:56 WORK, HE MIGHT THINK I'VE FAILED HIM. 15:59 SO WHY DON'T YOU TELL HIM ? 16:00 WE'LL LET HER TELL HIM. 16:02 SHE'LL DO IT. 16:04 MAYBE SHE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY. 16:08 EXCUSE ME, LORD NAAMAN. 16:12 I KNOW IT'S NOT NATURAL FOR ME TO LIKE YOU. . . 16:19 AND I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I WOULD RATHER BE AT HOME, BUT 16:25 SINCE I'M HERE, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A MAN 16:30 IN MY HOME COUNTRY WHO MOVES BY THE POWER OF MY GOD. 16:35 AND THIS MAN COULD HEAL YOU OF YOUR LEPROSY. 16:39 NOW, THE TITLE OF THE SERMON IS "SURPRISES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS." 16:45 I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME SURPRISES FIRST. 16:47 MY FIRST SURPRISE IS THAT THE LITTLE GIRL DIDN'T TURN BITTER. 16:53 MY SECOND SURPRISE IS THAT A MAN SO POWERFUL IN SYRIA 16:59 WOULD LISTEN TO A PRESCRIPTION FROM SOMEBODY WHO IS 17:03 OF ANOTHER NATION. 17:08 DO YOU SEE IT ? 17:09 I KNOW PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS, BUT THEY WILL ONLY 17:12 LIKE YOU IF YOU ARE LIKE THEM. 17:16 THIS IS NOT THE POINT TO BE QUIET. 17:18 YOU REVEALED SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF. 17:21 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THAT THEY ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, THAT 17:25 THEY ARE IN THE FAMILY OF GOD. 17:28 AND WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE IN THE FAMILY OF GOD, 17:32 YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT IN CHRIST WE ARE ALL ONE. 17:41 I MIGHT NOT NATURALLY GRAVITATE TOWARDS YOU. 17:46 I MIGHT NOT IMMEDIATELY THINK THAT YOU'RE THE GREATEST 17:48 PERSON I EVER MET. 17:49 BUT IF I DISCOVERED THAT JESUS MADE YOU, THAT JESUS SAVED YOU, 17:56 IF I NOTICE IN YOU NOTHING THAT DRAWS ME TO YOUR NATURALLY, 18:01 BUT I RECOGNIZE THAT YOU BELONG TO HIM, YOU ARE FAMILY. 18:07 WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN YOU GET TO HEAVEN ? 18:09 ARE YOU GOING TO ASK FOR A DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ? 18:19 YOU THINK THEY'VE GOT ZONING REGULATIONS IN HEAVEN ? 18:23 ALL YOU FOLKS GO THAT WAY. 18:25 ALL OF YOU GO THAT WAY. 18:26 HEY, I'VE GOT A FUNNY FEELING WE'RE GOING TO 18:28 ALL BE TOGETHER THERE. 18:30 SO, MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO STOP TRYING TO GO TO HEAVEN IF YOU 18:33 CAN'T STAND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT JUST LIKE YOU, BECAUSE 18:35 IN CHRIST, WE ARE ONE. 18:39 SO, I'M SURPRISED, PLEASANTLY SURPRISED THAT NAAMAN SAYS, 18:45 BRING HER IN HERE. 18:47 LET ME LISTEN TO HER. 18:48 BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM, YOU CAN 18:50 DROP ALL OF THAT STUFF ABOUT NATIONAL ORIGIN. 18:54 WHEN YOU REALLY NEED HELP, NATIONAL ORIGIN DOES NOT 18:58 APPEAR ON YOUR RADAR. 19:00 SO THE FIRST SURPRISE IS THAT HE ACCEPTS IT FROM THIS DEAR ONE. 19:04 NOW, THE SECOND ONE IS THAT WHEN NAAMAN DECIDES THAT HE 19:09 WANTS TO ACT ON IT, AND DON'T LET ME PASS BY TOO QUICKLY THAT 19:13 THE FAITH OF A LITTLE GIRL, ENGENDERS FAITH IN AN OLD 19:21 SOLDIER, WHICH ENGENDERS FAITH IN THE KING OF SYRIA. 19:28 FAITH SPREADS. 19:32 FAITH IS CONTAGIOUS. 19:35 IF YOU'VE GOT FAITH, YOU OUGHT TO SHARE FAITH. 19:39 YOU OUGHT TO LET IT OUT, AND DON'T BE 19:41 EQUIVOCATING WHEN YOU DO IT. 19:43 SAY IT AND MEAN IT. 19:44 STAND ON IT. 19:46 DON'T BACK DOWN. 19:47 LET IT BE YOUR STORY AND STICK TO IT. 19:50 IF YOU KNOW WHAT GOD CAN DO, DON'T KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. 19:57 THE LITTLE GIRL SAYS, I BELIEVE. 19:59 NAAMAN SAYS, OKAY, THEN, I BELIEVE. 20:03 GETS IN CONTACT WITH THE KING. 20:04 HE SAYS, ALL RIGHT THEN, I'LL BELIEVE. 20:07 FAITH IS CONTAGIOUS. 20:09 NOW, NAAMAN SAYS, LOOK, WRITE THE LETTERS. 20:12 I WANT TO DO THIS RIGHT. 20:13 SEND THE LETTERS TO THE KING OF ISRAEL, AND LET HIM 20:17 KNOW THAT I WANT TO COME OVER AND FIND THIS PROPHET. 20:20 I WANT TO FIND THIS ONE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO, IN 20:24 A SUPERNORMAL WAY, HANDLE MY DISEASE. 20:27 NOW, AMAZINGLY, THIS IS INTERESTING TO ME. 20:31 THE KING OF SYRIA CATCHES FAITH. 20:35 THE KING OF ISRAEL, WHO OUGHT TO HAVE FAITH--AHH, HEY, 20:42 JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT YOUR MEMBERSHIP AT SOME CHURCH 20:44 DOES NOT MAKE YOU HOLY. 20:50 JUST BECAUSE YOUR GRANDMOTHER WAS A CHRISTIAN, IT DOESN'T 20:53 PASS DOWN THE GENETIC STRUCTURE. 20:55 JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE IDENTIFIED WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO 20:58 OUGHT TO BE FAITHFUL DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE FAITH. 21:01 FAITH IS AN INDIVIDUAL THING THAT COMES THROUGH THE 21:04 POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD. 21:06 FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. 21:10 AND YOU'VE GOT TO GET IT YOURSELF. 21:12 YOU CAN'T DEPEND ON IT SPREADING TO YOU. 21:14 IT SPREADS, BUT YOU OUGHT TO GET IT FOR YOURSELF THROUGH 21:18 THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST. 21:21 SO, THE KING OF ISRAEL SAYS, LET'S SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, 21:25 GENTLEMEN, WAKE UP. 21:28 BENADAD IS TRYING TO CREATE SOME INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT SO HE 21:32 CAN HAVE A PRETEXT FOR WAR. 21:36 WELL, THE WORD GOT OVER TO THE PROPHET. 21:40 AND WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THOUGH IS THAT 21:44 THE KING DIDN'T HAVE FAITH, PROPHET SAID, HEY, WHAT'S 21:46 THE SITUATION ? 21:48 WELL, THERE'S A GREAT SOLDIER IN SYRIA WHO WANTS TO COME HERE SO 21:52 YOU CAN HEAL HIM, AND OUR KING SAYS HE DOESN'T WANT IT TO 21:56 HAPPEN, BECAUSE IT MIGHT CAUSE AN INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT. 22:00 PROPHET SAID, BRING THE MAN. 22:02 BRING HIM IN HERE. 22:03 WE DON'T NEED ANY INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS. 22:06 THE POWER OF GOD IS ABLE TO WORK ON ISRAELITES 22:09 AS WELL AS SYRIANS. 22:11 GOD CAN HEAL ANYBODY WHO BELIEVES. 22:15 DO YOU BELIEVE IT ? 22:16 THERE ARE NO NATIONAL BOUNDARIES. 22:19 YOU THINK GOD WON'T WORK ON SOMEBODY BECAUSE THEY COME 22:22 FROM SOME DIFFERENT NATION ? 22:25 SO LISTEN, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROPHET SEIZED ON IT. 22:30 THE KING SAW IT AS A CHALLENGE. 22:33 THE PROPHET SAW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY. 22:36 PUT ME IN THE CATEGORY WITH THE PROPHET. 22:39 WHEN A PROBLEM ARISES, IT'S NOT A CHALLENGE. 22:43 WITH GOD, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY. 22:46 IN FACT, WHEN YOU HAVE A TEST, YOU OUGHT TO GET EXCITED 22:49 BECAUSE YOU KNOW GOD IS ABLE. 22:54 SO, IF GOD IS ABLE, THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO 22:56 FIND OUT IS HOW HE'S GOING TO DO WHAT HE CAN DO. 22:59 BECAUSE HE HAS THE POWER. 23:02 AND SO, I'M TELLING YOU THAT WE'VE GOT A MOMENT 23:05 HERE WHERE THE PROPHET IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. 23:08 NOW, THE SECOND THING THAT SURPRISES ME, INCIDENTALLY, 23:11 IS THAT NAAMAN, THOUGH HE IS POWERFUL, DOES NOT RUN 23:16 OFF ON HIS OWN. 23:19 I'M GOING TO SAY THIS SO CAREFULLY. 23:22 THERE ARE CHRISTIANS WHO LOVE JESUS, BUT THEY CAN'T GET 23:27 ALONG WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS. 23:38 BECAUSE EVERYTHING THEY DO IS UNILATERAL. 23:42 YOU KNOW ? 23:43 NOBODY'S GOING TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO. 23:44 I'M IN CHRIST. 23:49 WELL, WHY DON'T YOU CHECK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT ? 23:50 I DON'T HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. 23:53 I'VE GOT JESUS IN ME, JUST LIKE SHE'S GOT JESUS IN HER. 23:58 I DON'T HAVE TO ASK ANYBODY. 23:59 I MOVE ON MY OWN. 24:03 AND THAT'S WHY IN MANY RELIGIOUS GROUPS YOU CAN 24:05 BARELY KEEP THEM TOGETHER. 24:07 THEY ARE LIKE MERCURY. 24:09 YOU CAN'T HOLD THEM TOGETHER BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH 24:12 PEOPLE WHO HAVE JESUS IN THEIR LIVES WHO RECOGNIZE THAT JESUS 24:16 HAS PLACED PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY. 24:19 AND SO LONG AS IT DOESN'T CONFLICT WITH THUS SAYETH 24:22 THE LORD, YOU OUGHT TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY. 24:32 SO WATCH THIS. 24:34 THE WORD COMES. 24:36 AND MY THIRD SURPRISE IS THAT A POWERFUL MAN LIKE 24:41 NAAMAN WOULDN'T SAY, UH, SOMEONE GO AND PICK UP ELISHA. 24:49 TAKE MY CHARIOT--NO, NOT THE BEST ONE. 24:56 YOU'RE GOING TO ISRAEL. 24:57 I UNDERSTAND THE ROADS ARE NOT PARTICULARLY IN GREAT REPAIR. 25:00 TAKE AIR FORCE 2, AND GO PICK HIM UP. 25:10 BRING HIM HERE AND GIVE HIM EVERY RESPECT. 25:13 BUT, I NEED HEALING. 25:15 BRING HIM. 25:16 LOOK, IF YOU REALLY NEED HEALING FROM GOD, WHY DOES THE HEALING 25:19 HAVE TO COME TO YOU ? 25:21 SO I'M SURPRISED, I AM PLEASANTLY SURPRISED THAT HERE'S 25:25 A POWERFUL PERSON THAT DOESN'T TRY TO BRING EVERYTHING TO HIM. 25:28 HE'S NOT LIKE THOSE PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WHO ORDER 25:33 EVERYTHING AND EXPECT IT IN A FEW HOURS. 25:36 OVERNIGHT EXPRESS. 25:37 WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING FROM JESUS, WHY DON'T YOU 25:40 GO WHERE JESUS IS ? 25:41 WHY DON'T YOU GO AND SEEK HIM ? 25:43 WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT ? 25:45 NAAMAN SURPRISES ME BECAUSE HE DOESN'T TRY TO CONTROL 25:48 THE SITUATION. 25:50 NAAMAN SURPRISES ME BECAUSE AFTER HE GETS THERE, 25:55 AND, YOU FORGIVE ME. 25:56 I SEE THIS STUFF. 25:57 I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN THERE, SO I SEE THE 26:01 PREPARATIONS THAT ARE MADE. 26:03 THE SILVER THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER. 26:06 ONE BIBLICAL SCHOLAR SAID IT WAS AT LEAST $50,000 WORTH OF 26:11 SILVER THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER. 26:12 I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE WORTH NOW. 26:14 BUT THEY PUT TOGETHER A PURSE FOR THE PROPHET. 26:16 AND THEY GET INTO THE CHARIOT AND THEY MAKE 26:19 SURE EVERYTHING IS RIGHT. 26:20 I CAN SEE IT HAPPENING. 26:21 YOU DON'T TRAVEL ALONE IF YOU ARE A GREAT CELEBRATED GENERAL. 26:25 YOU HAVE HANGERS-ON. 26:27 YOU HAVE MID-MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONARIES. 26:29 SO IF YOU'RE RIDING IN YOUR HUMMER. . . 26:37 YOU'VE GOT A FEW CHEVY SUBURBANS UP FRONT, AND A 26:43 FEW CHEVY SUBURBANS IN BACK. 26:44 FORGIVE ME. 26:45 MY IMAGINATION WORKS THIS WAY. 26:48 Announcer: JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR MORE OF PASTOR PEARSON'S MESSAGE 26:51 ENTITLED "SURPRISES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS." 26:56 Announcer: THE BREATH OF LIFE TELEVISION MINISTRY 26:58 PROUDLY PRESENTS A SPECIAL GIFT OFFER THIS WEEK. 27:00 THE DESIRE OF AGES--THE LIFE STORY OF THE GREATEST 27:03 SPIRITUAL LEADER THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN, JESUS CHRIST. 27:06 DESIRE OF AGES GOES IN DEPTH INTO EVENTS SURROUNDING THE 27:08 LIFE OF JESUS, GIVING YOU MORE MEANING AND A CLEARER PICTURE 27:12 OF HIS IMPACT ON THE WORLD, AND THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO FOLLOW 27:14 HIM, EVEN TO THIS DAY. 27:16 IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES, DESIRE OF AGES GIVES DIRECTION 27:18 FOR ALL WHO SEEK IT. 27:20 THE BOOK ANSWERS HARD QUESTIONS CONFRONTING US ALL. 27:22 IT EXAMINES BASIC SPIRITUAL TRUTHS, GIVES HOPE AND 27:25 ENCOURAGEMENT FOR TOMORROW, AND BRINGS YOU FACE TO 27:27 FACE WITH THE SAVIOR. 27:29 JUST CALL OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER 877-BOL-OFFER. 27:33 THAT'S 877-265-6333, AND ASK FOR YOUR COPY 27:37 OF DESIRE OF AGES. 27:38 THE BOOK IS YOURS FOR A GIFT OF $5.00 OR MORE, 27:40 OR YOU MAY WRITE TO: BREATH OF LIFE, 27:43 P.O. BOX 97192, WASHINGTON DC, 20077. 27:50 THE DESIRE OF AGES--IT'S THE GREATEST STORY EVER 27:52 TOLD IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT. 27:56 (theme music) |
Revised 2015-02-05