(soft music)
00:00:00.36\00:00:02.53
- Oh, yes, settle
down, (indistinct).
00:00:05.33\00:00:10.11
Welcome everybody to
Talking Donkey International
00:00:13.41\00:00:16.11
in our new television
series, "Country Wisdom."
00:00:17.21\00:00:18.98
- Let's set the tone
for this new series of ours.
00:00:18.98\00:00:21.98
It's found in Proverbs 4,
00:00:21.98\00:00:24.62
"Let your eyes
look directly forward
00:00:24.62\00:00:27.49
and your gaze be
straight before you,
00:00:27.49\00:00:30.66
ponder the path of your feet.
00:00:30.66\00:00:33.13
And then all your
ways will be sure."
00:00:33.13\00:00:36.67
- Join us now
for "Country Wisdom."
00:00:36.67\00:00:38.40
- Jim, I don't know how well
you keep up with current events
00:00:45.27\00:00:49.68
but I've noticed
the last few years,
00:00:49.68\00:00:52.21
how popular and widespread
stories about zombies are there.
00:00:52.21\00:00:57.19
- Yeah, I try and
stay away from zombies,
00:00:58.35\00:00:59.32
that's not my thing.
00:00:59.32\00:01:00.79
- Do you think
you might be a zombie?
00:01:02.49\00:01:05.86
Stay tuned to find out.
00:01:05.86\00:01:07.96
(soft music)
00:01:07.96\00:01:10.57
You've met my family, Jim,
00:01:15.50\00:01:17.31
Steve and I have
two wonderful sons.
00:01:18.14\00:01:21.74
And don't get me
wrong, I love my sons.
00:01:21.74\00:01:25.01
I just love them to pieces,
00:01:25.01\00:01:28.45
but both of them were
supposed to have been girls.
00:01:29.52\00:01:32.92
- Oh, really?
00:01:32.92\00:01:33.86
- I don't know if you knew that?
00:01:33.86\00:01:34.72
- No, I did not.
00:01:34.72\00:01:36.22
- Both of them
because that's what I wanted.
00:01:36.22\00:01:38.46
I couldn't imagine
that God wouldn't give me
00:01:38.46\00:01:41.00
the daughter that I wanted.
00:01:41.00\00:01:42.30
So when the boys were 11 and 14,
00:01:43.53\00:01:47.67
I finally got my little girl.
00:01:47.67\00:01:50.11
But we went about it
a little differently.
00:01:50.11\00:01:53.01
We applied to adopt a baby.
00:01:53.01\00:01:55.18
Steve was adamant, an infant.
00:01:56.11\00:01:58.75
And we picked China because
00:01:59.85\00:02:02.98
there are a lot of little
girls there who need homes.
00:02:02.98\00:02:06.49
So we applied for a little
Chinese girl, but you know,
00:02:06.49\00:02:10.33
when you put
plans in God's hands,
00:02:10.33\00:02:12.69
which we had both
done, we prayed about it.
00:02:12.69\00:02:15.13
And we got
something even better,
00:02:16.16\00:02:19.10
'cause God
handpicked our daughter.
00:02:19.10\00:02:21.97
Aliyah came to us
when she was somewhere
00:02:22.87\00:02:27.08
between five and seven,
00:02:27.08\00:02:29.01
depending on
which authority you ask.
00:02:29.01\00:02:31.45
And she was the sweetest thing,
00:02:32.98\00:02:35.68
just beautiful,
absolutely beautiful.
00:02:35.68\00:02:39.39
Everything I wanted.
00:02:39.39\00:02:41.66
- A little Chinese girl.
00:02:41.66\00:02:43.09
- But that doesn't mean
that everything was easy,
00:02:43.09\00:02:47.76
especially at the beginning,
00:02:47.76\00:02:49.93
because she
didn't speak English.
00:02:49.93\00:02:52.37
And Steve and I
did not speak Amharic,
00:02:52.37\00:02:56.20
which was her language.
00:02:56.20\00:02:57.21
She was from Ethiopia.
00:02:57.21\00:02:58.54
- That was a big change.
00:02:59.57\00:03:00.58
- It was, it was.
00:03:00.58\00:03:02.28
There was a lot of
sign language, you know,
00:03:02.28\00:03:04.81
time to brush your teeth.
00:03:04.81\00:03:06.48
And it's amazing how much
you can communicate that way.
00:03:07.65\00:03:10.99
Besides not speaking English.
00:03:10.99\00:03:14.66
She also is
deaf in her left ear.
00:03:14.66\00:03:17.39
So there were times
she didn't hear things
00:03:17.39\00:03:20.46
just exactly like we would.
00:03:20.46\00:03:23.57
And occasionally
that became a problem
00:03:23.57\00:03:26.94
because she didn't quite
understand what you had just
00:03:26.94\00:03:32.17
said. There was a
lot of misunderstanding
00:03:33.04\00:03:34.38
and that whole
process of learning English
00:03:34.38\00:03:36.85
and being able to
communicate with us.
00:03:36.85\00:03:40.18
But we overcame those
hurdles fairly quickly.
00:03:41.12\00:03:44.19
At least I thought.
00:03:44.19\00:03:45.55
(soft music continues)
00:03:46.29\00:03:49.69
Aliyah arrived here in the
United States in mid February.
00:03:51.19\00:03:55.86
So here she came
from Africa to snow.
00:03:57.03\00:04:00.44
And, about, five
months later, end of July,
00:04:01.57\00:04:06.78
she'd been here
just a few months,
00:04:07.64\00:04:09.94
picking up English
like a little sponge,
00:04:09.94\00:04:12.65
as you can
imagine, only a kid can do.
00:04:12.65\00:04:15.18
And one afternoon
it was really hot.
00:04:16.08\00:04:19.15
I remember that I
was lying on the couch,
00:04:19.15\00:04:21.96
wondering why we
had bought a house
00:04:21.96\00:04:24.79
with no central
air conditioning.
00:04:24.79\00:04:26.80
And I could hear she
was upstairs in her bedroom
00:04:27.76\00:04:31.13
and she was playing the
CDs of children's praise music.
00:04:31.13\00:04:35.24
She just loved them.
00:04:35.24\00:04:37.01
And actually
listening to those songs
00:04:37.01\00:04:39.17
she was learning
English better anyway.
00:04:39.17\00:04:41.54
And after a while I
heard the music stop
00:04:42.44\00:04:45.21
but I could
tell she was singing.
00:04:45.91\00:04:47.82
And she came out of her room
00:04:48.45\00:04:50.25
and down the stairs
and she was singing,
00:04:50.25\00:04:54.22
¤ A zombie, a zombie ¤
00:04:55.26\00:04:59.49
¤ Jesus wants me for a zombie ¤
00:04:59.49\00:05:03.40
- No.
00:05:04.77\00:05:05.77
- That was my reaction.
00:05:06.94\00:05:08.37
In fact, it was worse,
00:05:08.37\00:05:09.87
I think I practically
fell off the couch laughing
00:05:09.87\00:05:13.31
and she was quite
put out about that.
00:05:14.18\00:05:15.84
I remember her
standing on the landing
00:05:15.84\00:05:17.98
looking down at me
on the couch and just,
00:05:17.98\00:05:20.58
I think girls must be
born with this attitude.
00:05:20.58\00:05:23.45
She had her hands on
her hips and she said,
00:05:23.45\00:05:27.62
"Why are you
laughing? It was beautiful."
00:05:27.62\00:05:30.63
(both laugh)
00:05:31.46\00:05:32.89
- I love it.
00:05:32.89\00:05:34.03
- She has the
same attitudes still.
00:05:34.03\00:05:36.77
And I said, "Yes, honey.
00:05:36.77\00:05:37.97
Yes, it was beautiful.
00:05:37.97\00:05:39.57
Your song was beautiful.
00:05:39.57\00:05:41.47
There's just one
little thing wrong.
00:05:41.47\00:05:44.47
Jesus doesn't
want us to be zombies.
00:05:45.51\00:05:48.94
You see zombies...
00:05:48.94\00:05:50.88
Well, first of all,
they're made up and secondly,
00:05:50.88\00:05:54.65
they look alive, but
they are really dead.
00:05:54.65\00:05:58.29
And they're of
no use to anyone."
00:05:58.29\00:06:00.96
- How old is she when
you're telling her this?
00:06:00.96\00:06:02.82
- Oh, six-ish. - Okay.
00:06:02.82\00:06:05.49
- And I said, "Jesus
wants us to be sun beams, it's,"
00:06:05.49\00:06:10.30
¤ A sun beam, a sun beam. ¤
00:06:10.30\00:06:13.97
And I said, "Sun beams are
warm and light and comforting."
00:06:13.97\00:06:19.17
And again, I think
it's something little girls
00:06:20.11\00:06:22.21
are born with,
again, the hand on the hip.
00:06:22.21\00:06:25.91
And she just
sort of nodded like,
00:06:25.91\00:06:29.08
"All right, I'll play along."
00:06:29.08\00:06:30.92
You see, she had
two older brothers.
00:06:31.75\00:06:34.26
Remember I said
they were 11 and 14.
00:06:34.26\00:06:37.56
- They were instigators.
00:06:37.56\00:06:38.93
- They had told their
little sister all about zombies
00:06:38.93\00:06:42.13
apparently because she
knew what zombies were.
00:06:42.13\00:06:44.93
She'd heard of them.
00:06:44.93\00:06:46.67
She had never in her
life heard of something
00:06:46.67\00:06:48.87
called a sunbeam and
she wasn't quite buying it,
00:06:48.87\00:06:52.97
which I also found funny.
00:06:53.71\00:06:55.88
Now, I actually
had a point, Jim,
00:06:55.88\00:06:58.55
there's a reason I
told you this story.
00:06:58.55\00:07:00.72
- Oh, I'm actually
really glad about that.
00:07:00.72\00:07:03.22
- You were beginning to wonder.
00:07:04.02\00:07:05.75
- I was kinda wondering, yeah.
00:07:05.75\00:07:07.49
- The point is
this, later that day,
00:07:07.49\00:07:11.46
after Aaliyah had
gone back upstairs,
00:07:11.46\00:07:14.56
after I'd given her the little
lesson about the difference
00:07:14.56\00:07:16.93
between a sunbeam and a zombie.
00:07:16.93\00:07:18.90
I was in the kitchen.
00:07:20.24\00:07:21.50
I think I was doing dishes.
00:07:21.50\00:07:23.20
It just hit me,
00:07:24.61\00:07:26.11
How often have I
been a zombie for Jesus?"
00:07:26.11\00:07:30.75
- That's a really good point.
00:07:30.75\00:07:32.65
- You know, I go
to church every week.
00:07:32.65\00:07:35.42
I get up front, I
lead the praise music.
00:07:35.42\00:07:38.35
People have told me they love it
00:07:38.35\00:07:39.75
when it's my
week to be up there,
00:07:39.75\00:07:41.39
they love the scriptures
I read what I get out of it.
00:07:41.39\00:07:46.29
But I can't tell
you when I look back,
00:07:46.29\00:07:48.56
how often, while
I'm up there looking
00:07:48.56\00:07:51.87
like the perfect little
Christian, doing everything
00:07:51.87\00:07:55.24
right, looking
apart, I'm dead inside.
00:07:55.24\00:07:58.94
I have not been keeping up
my relationship with the Lord
00:08:00.18\00:08:03.31
and it's been put
on the back burner
00:08:03.31\00:08:06.15
and before you know it,
the burners out completely
00:08:06.15\00:08:09.48
and I'm a zombie for
Jesus, useless to Him.
00:08:09.48\00:08:14.19
I'm not a sunbeam.
00:08:16.12\00:08:17.59
I'm something
dead that looks alive,
00:08:17.59\00:08:20.26
that isn't
doing anyone any good.
00:08:20.26\00:08:22.30
And in fact is destroying me.
00:08:22.30\00:08:24.80
- I've got to ask
you a quick question,
00:08:25.70\00:08:27.57
were you born and
raised a Christian?
00:08:27.57\00:08:29.94
- Technically. Yes.
00:08:31.14\00:08:33.07
My family had their
names on the church books.
00:08:33.07\00:08:36.24
My grandfather was actually
a preacher and a Bible teacher,
00:08:36.24\00:08:39.51
but he died when
I was very young.
00:08:39.51\00:08:41.85
And what developed my
relationship with the Lord
00:08:41.85\00:08:47.12
all the way along were
that parent of a friend,
00:08:48.06\00:08:51.83
that teacher that took extra
time and had the Lord in her.
00:08:51.83\00:08:56.26
Bible teachers who made
the scriptures come alive.
00:08:57.40\00:08:59.90
So for the first time
you felt like that's real,
00:08:59.90\00:09:03.67
that's the truth.
00:09:03.67\00:09:04.71
- At some point you knew Jesus.
00:09:04.71\00:09:06.34
- Yes. Yes.
00:09:06.34\00:09:07.78
But just because
you know Him once,
00:09:07.78\00:09:10.31
I guess it's kind
of like my marriage,
00:09:11.18\00:09:13.31
you can let the
same thing happen there,
00:09:13.31\00:09:15.35
where you're going
through the emotions.
00:09:15.35\00:09:17.35
You look good, but you
haven't talked in forever.
00:09:17.35\00:09:22.22
- Making all the moves but...
00:09:22.22\00:09:24.03
Nothing's holding
- Right, dead inside.
00:09:24.03\00:09:25.76
- Yeah. Yeah.
00:09:25.76\00:09:27.20
You know, folks, I don't
know if you really realize it,
00:09:27.20\00:09:29.76
but the Bible
actually talks about zombies,
00:09:29.76\00:09:32.67
oh, under another name, but
we're gonna get to that soon.
00:09:32.67\00:09:35.74
- My grandmother was number
11 in a family of 13 girls
00:09:38.57\00:09:43.85
and she sometimes
felt lost in the crowd.
00:09:44.75\00:09:47.15
Do you ever feel that way?
00:09:47.15\00:09:49.38
With nearly 8
billion people in the world,
00:09:49.38\00:09:52.12
it's easy to wonder if anyone
even notices you're alive,
00:09:52.12\00:09:56.22
but there is
someone who notices.
00:09:56.22\00:09:59.39
The Bible says,
"God calls us by name."
00:09:59.39\00:10:03.33
He knows you, knows your name.
00:10:03.33\00:10:06.77
You're His child.
00:10:06.77\00:10:08.97
If you'd like proof, go to
talkingdonkeyinternational.org
00:10:08.97\00:10:13.34
and request offer number
130 for this free pamphlet.
00:10:13.34\00:10:18.61
There's not another you.
00:10:19.15\00:10:20.48
(upbeat music)
00:10:21.68\00:10:24.45
- [Announcer] Introducing
Talking Donkey International.
00:10:33.66\00:10:36.00
God once used a
donkey to spread His word
00:10:36.00\00:10:39.03
but he'd rather use all of us.
00:10:39.03\00:10:41.37
Our experienced
team has preached
00:10:41.37\00:10:43.57
taught and filmed in
countries around the globe.
00:10:43.57\00:10:46.68
In partnership with you,
00:10:46.68\00:10:47.98
our mission is to share
the saving love and hope
00:10:47.98\00:10:50.68
found only in Jesus
Christ with everyone
00:10:50.68\00:10:53.48
in this lost and dying world.
00:10:53.48\00:10:55.98
Your financial
partnership with Talking Donkey,
00:10:55.98\00:10:58.35
will enable this
exciting ministry to proclaim
00:10:58.35\00:11:00.86
that Jesus is coming soon.
00:11:00.86\00:11:03.19
It's time to prepare quality
programming created to attract
00:11:03.19\00:11:06.39
and reach viewers of the world.
00:11:06.39\00:11:08.70
Together, we can carry
the final advent message
00:11:08.70\00:11:11.53
to the
individuals of planet earth
00:11:11.53\00:11:13.84
and hasten the
return of our Lord.
00:11:13.84\00:11:16.24
Please pray for and
support the successful mission
00:11:16.24\00:11:19.34
of Talking Donkey International.
00:11:19.34\00:11:21.64
(soft music)
00:11:23.65\00:11:26.28
- I had an amazing time
as I found Jesus Christ.
00:11:28.65\00:11:32.29
I had been a drug
dealer, alcoholic and a thief,
00:11:32.29\00:11:34.92
God called me.
00:11:34.92\00:11:36.83
What was that like?
00:11:36.83\00:11:38.29
Well, it's a whole nother
story, but it was so exciting.
00:11:38.29\00:11:41.80
I absolutely found God.
00:11:41.80\00:11:44.27
God found me.
00:11:44.27\00:11:45.73
He knew where I was
really all the time,
00:11:45.73\00:11:48.24
but I finally
realized who God was.
00:11:48.24\00:11:51.27
And I began studying,
I wanted to know more.
00:11:51.27\00:11:54.08
I hungered to find
out really more about
00:11:54.08\00:11:57.05
this amazing God who
took all and all the cravings,
00:11:57.05\00:12:01.35
all the garbage out of my life.
00:12:01.35\00:12:03.12
No, of course it didn't
all disappear at one time,
00:12:03.12\00:12:05.75
but God gave me strength
and courage to make it happen.
00:12:05.75\00:12:09.26
But I would get up at
five o'clock in the morning.
00:12:10.39\00:12:13.56
I'd go out under a tree
00:12:13.56\00:12:15.03
and I'd study my Bible
for an hour or two hours.
00:12:15.03\00:12:18.17
I'd pray for at least an hour.
00:12:18.17\00:12:19.77
I just talk with the Lord.
00:12:19.77\00:12:21.44
It became such an
exciting relationship.
00:12:21.44\00:12:25.04
I begin to
understand when the Bible says,
00:12:25.04\00:12:27.31
"He speaks in a
still small voice."
00:12:27.31\00:12:29.64
And then He says, "This
is the way, walk in ye it."
00:12:29.64\00:12:32.78
I began to
understand how that happened.
00:12:33.68\00:12:36.52
It happened because I began
to pay attention to who God was.
00:12:37.75\00:12:41.02
I learned of him in these pages.
00:12:41.02\00:12:42.89
I began to hear his voice.
00:12:42.89\00:12:44.86
He says, "My
sheep hear my voice."
00:12:44.86\00:12:47.66
Well, "He didn't make that
comment just off the cuff."
00:12:47.66\00:12:51.60
He really meant it.
00:12:51.60\00:12:53.10
Those who follow God,
those who spend time with God
00:12:53.10\00:12:56.27
really understand
and hear God's voice.
00:12:56.27\00:12:59.74
We become His little sheep
00:12:59.74\00:13:01.58
and we listen to His
guidance, His direction.
00:13:01.58\00:13:04.38
I would even...
00:13:05.81\00:13:06.65
I get up in the morning.
00:13:06.65\00:13:07.72
I had a business at the time
00:13:07.72\00:13:08.98
and I would go
into the business.
00:13:08.98\00:13:11.15
I didn't care
about anything else.
00:13:11.15\00:13:12.75
I just wanted share Jesus
Christ with a lot of people.
00:13:12.75\00:13:16.49
Then one day I
switched the businesses.
00:13:17.33\00:13:19.46
I switched to another
business that was real estate.
00:13:19.46\00:13:22.86
And in that
situation I found myself,
00:13:22.86\00:13:25.70
well I became so successful
that I was in the top 4%
00:13:25.70\00:13:30.97
of all the Coldwell banker
agents in all in North America.
00:13:32.11\00:13:34.51
I mean, it was unbelievable.
00:13:34.51\00:13:36.75
It's just like the
money began to pour in,
00:13:36.75\00:13:38.61
everything I
touched turned to gold.
00:13:38.61\00:13:40.52
I had a radio talk show.
00:13:40.52\00:13:43.45
I was lobbying on
Capitol Hill in Washington, DC,
00:13:43.45\00:13:47.42
rubbing shoulders with
congressmen and senators.
00:13:47.42\00:13:50.36
I had many houses and land
00:13:50.36\00:13:52.99
and my Harley
Davidson motorcycle had it all.
00:13:52.99\00:13:55.86
I had it all, I had it all.
00:13:55.86\00:13:58.53
Except what began to
happen is that friendship,
00:13:58.53\00:14:02.87
that relationship began to
wane, began to go downhill.
00:14:02.87\00:14:07.24
Because like Janice said,
00:14:07.24\00:14:09.11
in a marriage if you
don't talk with your spouse,
00:14:09.11\00:14:12.05
things change.
00:14:12.91\00:14:14.55
The fire begins to dwindle.
00:14:14.55\00:14:16.18
The relationship begins
to go down and down and down.
00:14:16.18\00:14:19.55
And that's exactly exactly
the way the devil likes it.
00:14:19.55\00:14:23.56
That's exactly what happened.
00:14:23.56\00:14:25.36
He doesn't mind if
you're in a church,
00:14:25.36\00:14:29.00
he doesn't mind if
you come to a building,
00:14:29.00\00:14:31.83
you know and do these things.
00:14:31.83\00:14:33.34
Because matter of fact, I came
to the building all the time.
00:14:33.34\00:14:36.17
I, again, kind of like Janice.
00:14:36.17\00:14:37.91
I mean, I had my nice suits.
00:14:37.91\00:14:39.94
I had my nice clothes.
00:14:39.94\00:14:41.24
I was going on
out and preaching,
00:14:41.24\00:14:43.21
doing all these
things but I no longer spent
00:14:43.21\00:14:46.61
those hours with
God that I had before.
00:14:46.61\00:14:50.05
And what happened?
00:14:50.05\00:14:51.52
The fire began to go out.
00:14:51.52\00:14:52.92
It's like, when you
have a little fire over here
00:14:52.92\00:14:55.82
and you pull a coal out that
coal glows for quite a while,
00:14:55.82\00:15:00.50
but pretty soon if
it stays out there,
00:15:01.33\00:15:02.86
that little amber
begins to quit glowing,
00:15:02.86\00:15:06.03
it begins to go out
and the fire disappears.
00:15:06.03\00:15:09.20
Now, it might be
still setting on the hearth.
00:15:10.17\00:15:12.84
It might still be in
the area of the stove
00:15:12.84\00:15:17.08
but it no longer heats anything,
00:15:17.08\00:15:18.55
it no longer
gives anybody any heat
00:15:18.55\00:15:20.68
because it's dead and it's out.
00:15:20.68\00:15:23.15
And that's really kind of
the way it was with was church.
00:15:23.15\00:15:25.75
Now, we pick this
beautiful little church today
00:15:25.75\00:15:28.86
I think was built
in 1876, I believe.
00:15:28.86\00:15:33.43
Amazing little church,
00:15:33.43\00:15:34.96
but it just simply represents
00:15:34.96\00:15:37.53
what happens in so
many churches so many times.
00:15:37.53\00:15:40.60
I had a preacher
friend that said, you know,
00:15:40.60\00:15:43.20
"Most of our
churches are so cold,
00:15:43.20\00:15:45.24
you could skate
down the center aisle."
00:15:45.24\00:15:47.64
Sad, sad situation,
because the fire has gone out.
00:15:48.71\00:15:52.08
The fire has gone out.
00:15:52.08\00:15:53.55
And what does it
take to have a fire?
00:15:53.55\00:15:57.22
Well, let me share with you
what it takes to have a fire.
00:15:57.22\00:16:00.56
Let me give you a
example of the relationship
00:16:03.66\00:16:07.30
and how it all happens.
00:16:07.30\00:16:09.03
A fellow traveled out to Africa
00:16:10.10\00:16:12.77
and he wanted to go on safari.
00:16:12.77\00:16:13.97
So he hired a guide.
00:16:13.97\00:16:15.30
They began traveling on safari.
00:16:15.30\00:16:17.77
Well, after a few days,
they were having a good time.
00:16:17.77\00:16:20.98
They saw a lot of wildlife.
00:16:20.98\00:16:23.38
The guide every night
would build a big fire.
00:16:23.38\00:16:27.62
And the fellow
asked, "What's that for?"
00:16:27.62\00:16:31.19
"Well, it's to keep
all the animals away,
00:16:31.19\00:16:32.95
keep us safe at night."
00:16:32.95\00:16:34.39
Every day, same thing
every day, within pretty soon
00:16:35.49\00:16:38.86
he noticed when they
got to the next campsite,
00:16:38.86\00:16:41.50
big pile of wood
was already there.
00:16:41.50\00:16:44.03
They finally asked
after a few days of this,
00:16:44.03\00:16:46.13
"Why the pile of wood?"
00:16:46.13\00:16:48.00
The guide said,
"Here's the situation,"
00:16:48.00\00:16:49.74
he said, "The monkeys
watch us gather all the wood up.
00:16:49.74\00:16:53.94
And we start the fires.
00:16:53.94\00:16:56.04
So they know
where the next camp is.
00:16:56.04\00:16:57.61
They'd been to
those camps before
00:16:57.61\00:16:59.18
and they bring all the woods."
00:16:59.18\00:17:00.45
He said, "The
problem is there's one thing
00:17:00.45\00:17:02.28
that they're lacking, fire.
00:17:02.28\00:17:04.39
They're lacking the fire."
00:17:05.22\00:17:06.55
And see that's what
happens to us as Christians.
00:17:06.55\00:17:09.86
The only thing that
gives fire according
00:17:09.86\00:17:12.53
to the Bible is the Holy Spirit.
00:17:12.53\00:17:14.46
We need the fire of the Spirit.
00:17:14.46\00:17:16.70
And unless you spend time
in God's word, there's no fire.
00:17:16.70\00:17:21.40
No time with God, no fire, no
time with God, no Holy Spirit.
00:17:21.40\00:17:26.61
No relationship, no
situation with God any longer.
00:17:27.68\00:17:31.88
Let me read something to
you, the wind's blowing so hard
00:17:31.88\00:17:34.32
I don't know if I
can get to it here but,
00:17:34.32\00:17:36.58
it says in Matthew 6:5,
00:17:37.72\00:17:41.42
"And when now prayest,
00:17:42.32\00:17:43.49
thou shall not be
as the hypocrites are,
00:17:43.49\00:17:46.66
for they love to pray,
standing in the synagogues
00:17:46.66\00:17:49.96
and in the
corners of the streets
00:17:49.96\00:17:51.93
that they may be seen of men."
00:17:51.93\00:17:53.60
Where are they
praying a lot of times?
00:17:53.60\00:17:55.34
In the synagogue.
00:17:55.34\00:17:56.57
Where do they
wanna be seen of men?
00:17:56.57\00:17:58.64
In the synagogue.
00:17:58.64\00:17:59.84
What are they doing?
00:17:59.84\00:18:01.28
Well, they're praying
there it's a religious exercise.
00:18:01.28\00:18:04.08
They're in the synagogue.
00:18:04.95\00:18:06.08
They're looking
cool because they...
00:18:06.08\00:18:07.55
These are the guys
with the long robes,
00:18:07.55\00:18:09.15
all that finery,
all the good stuff.
00:18:09.15\00:18:11.69
And they're standing
there looking really cool.
00:18:11.69\00:18:14.32
And what do they call
them here in the Bible?
00:18:15.46\00:18:16.89
Hypocrites.
00:18:16.89\00:18:18.06
I would submit to you that
00:18:18.06\00:18:19.76
these are the
zombies of Jesus' day.
00:18:19.76\00:18:22.86
These are the ones who
did all of these things
00:18:23.80\00:18:27.20
for show and for glory,
because they wanted to be cool.
00:18:27.20\00:18:31.27
They maybe even knew
the right thing to do,
00:18:31.27\00:18:34.28
but they were doing it
for all the wrong reasons.
00:18:34.28\00:18:37.01
In Matthew 6, Jesus continues.
00:18:38.18\00:18:41.22
He said, "Lay not up for
yourselves treasures upon earth
00:18:41.22\00:18:44.62
where moth and
rust doth corrupt,
00:18:44.62\00:18:46.76
and where thieves
break through and steal.
00:18:46.76\00:18:49.66
But lay up for
yourselves treasure in heaven,
00:18:50.73\00:18:52.79
where neither moth
nor rust does corrupt
00:18:52.79\00:18:55.36
and where thieves do
not break in and steal."
00:18:55.36\00:18:57.83
Where are we laying up treasure?
00:18:58.70\00:19:00.70
Not here on earth.
00:19:00.70\00:19:01.97
Nope, that's where I
was laying up treasure.
00:19:01.97\00:19:03.64
I was gathering things up,
00:19:03.64\00:19:05.24
all the good
things of this earth.
00:19:05.24\00:19:07.24
I began enjoying
all those things.
00:19:07.24\00:19:10.05
I began working
harder and harder and harder
00:19:10.05\00:19:12.61
to make more and more and more.
00:19:12.61\00:19:14.38
See it's a crazy life cycle,
00:19:14.38\00:19:17.69
we get on this
treadmill and it just begins
00:19:17.69\00:19:20.76
to suck us in
more and more and more.
00:19:20.76\00:19:23.29
And the devil
wants to destroy us.
00:19:23.29\00:19:26.66
He doesn't want
us like God at all,
00:19:26.66\00:19:29.56
happened all the
way back in the garden.
00:19:29.56\00:19:31.37
He did not want
them to be like God,
00:19:31.37\00:19:34.57
he didn't want
you to be like God,
00:19:35.44\00:19:36.81
he doesn't want you
to have that experience,
00:19:36.81\00:19:38.41
that friendship,
that relationship.
00:19:38.41\00:19:41.48
But it happens so easily,
00:19:41.48\00:19:43.21
"For where your treasure is,
00:19:43.21\00:19:45.18
there your heart is also."
00:19:45.18\00:19:48.05
Good gauge.
00:19:48.05\00:19:49.42
What's going on in your life?
00:19:49.42\00:19:50.55
Where's your treasure right now?
00:19:50.55\00:19:52.32
Where are you
spending your time?
00:19:53.49\00:19:55.66
Are you spending it?
00:19:55.66\00:19:57.03
You know, I don't
know at the theater,
00:19:57.03\00:19:59.56
at here there, any
place but in prayer and study
00:19:59.56\00:20:04.67
and listen to this in
verse 22 of chapter six,
00:20:06.50\00:20:08.40
"The light of
the body is the eye,
00:20:08.40\00:20:10.87
if therefore the eye be single,
00:20:11.54\00:20:13.91
my whole body
shall be full of light."
00:20:14.78\00:20:17.28
The eye be
single, what's it mean?
00:20:17.28\00:20:18.98
What's it talking about?
00:20:18.98\00:20:19.98
It means, where's your focus?
00:20:19.98\00:20:21.82
Where's the direction?
00:20:22.62\00:20:23.52
If your focus is upon Jesus,
00:20:23.52\00:20:25.45
the Bible says,
Jesus is the light.
00:20:25.45\00:20:28.92
Jesus is light, if Jesus
is coming into our lives.
00:20:30.06\00:20:33.63
And matter of fact, He says,
00:20:33.63\00:20:34.96
"He stands at the
door and He knocked."
00:20:34.96\00:20:37.90
If any man or
woman opens the door,
00:20:37.90\00:20:40.10
He will come in to me
and spend time with them.
00:20:40.10\00:20:43.47
And if God's
light is in our lives.
00:20:44.67\00:20:49.14
Then we began...
00:20:49.14\00:20:50.61
Everything begins changing.
00:20:50.61\00:20:52.78
And Jesus also said, when
he departed of this earth,
00:20:52.78\00:20:56.48
he said, "I'll send
another comforter to you.
00:20:56.48\00:20:58.85
I'll send you the Holy Spirit."
00:20:58.85\00:21:00.32
And He breathed
upon the disciples
00:21:00.32\00:21:02.42
and they
received the Holy Spirit.
00:21:02.42\00:21:05.29
That's what we
need to be praying for.
00:21:05.29\00:21:06.66
And that's what we
need to be seeking.
00:21:06.66\00:21:08.83
Is God's in dwelling
Spirit into our lives.
00:21:08.83\00:21:11.53
The fire.
00:21:11.53\00:21:12.73
The fire of the Spirit.
00:21:12.73\00:21:14.07
Remember it, the
day of Pentecost,
00:21:14.07\00:21:16.17
that disciples prayed and
prayed and prayed for 10 days,
00:21:16.17\00:21:18.84
they put everything else aside.
00:21:18.84\00:21:21.01
They put away anger and
hate and envy and strife.
00:21:21.01\00:21:25.15
Unfortunately, you wanna
find hate and envy and strife
00:21:25.15\00:21:28.95
a lot of times,
look in the church.
00:21:28.95\00:21:31.59
Now, I'm not saying
that's the way it always is.
00:21:31.59\00:21:33.59
I'm not saying that's the
way it is in every church.
00:21:33.59\00:21:36.52
But unfortunately it seems like
00:21:36.52\00:21:38.59
in the church we eat our own.
00:21:38.59\00:21:41.43
We tend to destroy those
that that God has called in.
00:21:41.43\00:21:45.13
And we're a
hospital for sinners.
00:21:45.13\00:21:46.77
We're not a museum for saints.
00:21:46.77\00:21:48.24
And I found myself
spending so much time doing
00:21:49.57\00:21:53.04
all those other things.
00:21:53.04\00:21:55.04
I still preached.
00:21:55.04\00:21:56.28
I looked cool, I paid tithe.
00:21:56.28\00:21:57.81
I did all the things that
just like the Pharisees did,
00:21:57.81\00:22:01.05
the hypocrites.
00:22:01.05\00:22:02.18
Only today may be
a zombie, you know.
00:22:02.18\00:22:04.95
I did all those things.
00:22:06.39\00:22:07.69
Verse 24, listen to this,
00:22:08.56\00:22:10.63
"No man can serve
two masters for either
00:22:10.63\00:22:14.30
he will hate the
one and love the other
00:22:14.30\00:22:17.13
or else he will hold onto
one and despise the other.
00:22:17.13\00:22:20.87
You cannot serve God and
mammon," or the devil basically.
00:22:20.87\00:22:24.94
You can't serve both.
00:22:24.94\00:22:26.84
One or the other.
00:22:26.84\00:22:28.04
When you get out
of bed in the morning,
00:22:28.04\00:22:29.18
when your toes hits the floor,
00:22:29.18\00:22:31.45
you choose by that time
to serve one or the other.
00:22:32.58\00:22:34.98
And it's a good
idea to stay in bed
00:22:34.98\00:22:37.75
and dedicate your
life to God that day
00:22:37.75\00:22:40.09
before you get out of
bed, choose God that day.
00:22:40.09\00:22:42.59
Choose Him at that time.
00:22:42.59\00:22:44.36
Verse 25 says,
"Therefore I say unto you,
00:22:45.36\00:22:48.16
take no thought for your life."
00:22:48.16\00:22:50.67
Take no thought for your life.
00:22:50.67\00:22:53.07
Boy, we live in
such interesting times.
00:22:53.07\00:22:55.04
It's kinda hard not to take
a little thought for your life,
00:22:55.04\00:22:58.44
but God says, "Trust in
me, I will take care of it.
00:22:58.44\00:23:01.41
I will handle
everything in your life."
00:23:01.41\00:23:03.58
So listen to this,
00:23:03.58\00:23:04.88
"What you shall eat
or what you shall drink
00:23:04.88\00:23:07.22
nor yet for your
body, what you shall put on.
00:23:07.22\00:23:11.55
Is not life more than meat
00:23:11.55\00:23:12.79
and the body more
than the raiment?"
00:23:12.79\00:23:15.29
God the talks about
the fowls of the air.
00:23:15.29\00:23:17.19
All these things.
00:23:17.19\00:23:18.06
He clothed the grass.
00:23:18.06\00:23:19.23
He takes care of
the fowls of the air.
00:23:19.23\00:23:21.80
All these things
God takes care of.
00:23:21.80\00:23:23.90
And He promises
He'll take care of us.
00:23:25.20\00:23:27.64
We are really in some
interesting times in Earth's
00:23:27.64\00:23:31.91
history. I
believe with all my heart,
00:23:31.91\00:23:33.31
if we could have
a Bible study here
00:23:33.31\00:23:35.14
and I could show you how we
are very near the end of time.
00:23:35.14\00:23:39.41
All of these
things that are happening,
00:23:39.41\00:23:41.52
they need to
happen before the end,
00:23:41.52\00:23:43.85
I believe it,
predicted to happen.
00:23:44.65\00:23:46.59
Not viruses have
not this specifically,
00:23:46.59\00:23:50.69
but earthquakes and
famines and disasters.
00:23:50.69\00:23:53.46
Since we may have more famines,
00:23:53.46\00:23:55.00
we may have a
lot more disasters,
00:23:55.00\00:23:57.17
but Jesus said, "Follow me
and I will take care of you."
00:23:58.60\00:24:02.07
God sees the end
from the beginning.
00:24:03.34\00:24:05.91
He looks at everything out there
00:24:06.88\00:24:08.64
and He sees the pathway for you.
00:24:08.64\00:24:10.91
And let me tell
you, He loves you.
00:24:11.78\00:24:13.65
He hung on a
cross to die for you.
00:24:13.65\00:24:17.12
Had there been no
one else on planet earth.
00:24:17.12\00:24:20.22
He wanted to save you.
00:24:20.22\00:24:22.69
He wants to save you.
00:24:22.69\00:24:23.76
He wants you to choose Him.
00:24:23.76\00:24:25.33
He wants to
have that fellowship.
00:24:25.33\00:24:27.03
He is standing at the
door, continually knocking.
00:24:27.03\00:24:29.96
Saying, "Let me in?
00:24:29.96\00:24:31.47
Let me in."
00:24:31.47\00:24:32.80
I got to the
point in my experience,
00:24:32.80\00:24:34.64
all of a sudden
one day in church,
00:24:34.64\00:24:36.17
I'm sitting
there and Jesus said,
00:24:36.17\00:24:38.61
"Basically the end will come.
00:24:38.61\00:24:41.11
And if you don't
change your situation,
00:24:41.11\00:24:43.45
you're lost, you're lost."
00:24:43.45\00:24:46.35
I didn't wanna be lost.
00:24:46.35\00:24:48.42
And that was a
wake up call for me.
00:24:48.42\00:24:50.05
I hope whatever is
going on in your life,
00:24:50.05\00:24:51.59
there's a wake-up call for you.
00:24:51.59\00:24:52.99
At this point the stuff
that's going on right now
00:24:52.99\00:24:55.49
in the United
States and the world
00:24:55.49\00:24:56.52
that is a huge wake up call.
00:24:56.52\00:24:59.59
Time to get our act together.
00:24:59.59\00:25:01.30
And you know, God called me.
00:25:01.30\00:25:02.60
I changed what I was doing.
00:25:02.60\00:25:04.83
I switched around.
00:25:04.83\00:25:06.40
I began putting more energy
and more time in the study
00:25:06.40\00:25:09.27
of God's love letter to
me, same love letter for you.
00:25:09.27\00:25:13.14
And I fell in love
with Jesus all over again.
00:25:14.08\00:25:17.18
And as the song says, you know,
00:25:17.18\00:25:19.05
"It gets sweeter and
sweeter as the days go by,
00:25:19.05\00:25:20.48
over the love
between my Lord and I."
00:25:20.48\00:25:23.18
God wants to have that
love relationship with you,
00:25:24.25\00:25:25.99
that friendship with you.
00:25:25.99\00:25:27.99
So please today, choose Jesus,
seek Him with all your heart.
00:25:27.99\00:25:31.96
He will help you,
through whatever time there is,
00:25:33.36\00:25:36.40
whatever situation.
00:25:36.40\00:25:38.23
"My sheep," He
says, "Hear my voice."
00:25:38.23\00:25:41.37
Do you hear His voice?
00:25:41.37\00:25:42.50
If not, study His
word, begin praying,
00:25:42.50\00:25:46.04
talking with Him
just like a spouse.
00:25:46.04\00:25:48.51
You begin hearing the voice.
00:25:48.51\00:25:49.71
You'll recognize
that still small voice.
00:25:49.71\00:25:52.25
Choose Jesus today, please.
00:25:52.88\00:25:54.95
It'll be well worth it from now,
00:25:55.95\00:25:58.09
all the way through eternity.
00:25:58.09\00:25:59.62
- [Announcer] Introducing
Talking Donkey International.
00:26:02.16\00:26:04.53
God once you used a
donkey to spread His Word,
00:26:04.53\00:26:07.66
but he'd rather use all of us.
00:26:07.66\00:26:09.86
Our experience
team has preached,
00:26:09.86\00:26:12.07
taught and filmed in
countries around the globe.
00:26:12.07\00:26:15.27
In partnership with you,
00:26:15.27\00:26:16.47
our mission is to
share the life saving love
00:26:16.47\00:26:18.74
and hope found
only in Jesus Christ
00:26:18.74\00:26:21.28
with everyone in
this lost and dying world.
00:26:21.28\00:26:24.48
Your financial
partnership with Talking Donkey
00:26:24.48\00:26:26.82
will enable this
exciting ministry to proclaim
00:26:26.82\00:26:29.72
that Jesus is coming soon.
00:26:29.72\00:26:32.05
It's time to prepare quality
programming created to attract
00:26:32.05\00:26:35.69
and reach viewers of the world.
00:26:35.69\00:26:37.59
Together, we can carry
the final advent message
00:26:37.59\00:26:40.43
to the
individuals of planet earth
00:26:40.43\00:26:42.70
and hasten the
return of our Lord.
00:26:42.70\00:26:45.07
Please pray for and
support the successful mission
00:26:45.07\00:26:48.20
of Talking Donkey International.
00:26:48.20\00:26:50.44
- My grandmother was number
11 in a family of 13 girls
00:26:52.04\00:26:57.31
and she sometimes
felt lost in the crowd.
00:26:58.21\00:27:00.68
Do you ever feel that way?
00:27:00.68\00:27:02.92
With nearly 8
billion people in the world,
00:27:02.92\00:27:05.65
it's easy to wonder if anyone
even notices you're alive,
00:27:05.65\00:27:09.76
but there is
someone who notices.
00:27:09.76\00:27:12.93
The Bible says,
"God calls us by name."
00:27:12.93\00:27:16.83
He knows you.
00:27:16.83\00:27:18.30
Knows your name.
00:27:18.30\00:27:20.30
You're his child.
00:27:20.30\00:27:22.50
If you'd like proof, go to
Talking Donkey International.org
00:27:22.50\00:27:26.88
and request offer number
130 for this free pamphlet.
00:27:26.88\00:27:31.98
There's not another you.
00:27:31.98\00:27:34.02
- Prayer is the key
and the hand of faith
00:27:35.85\00:27:37.85
to unlock heaven's storehouse
where it's treasured boundless
00:27:37.85\00:27:40.69
resources of omnipotence.
00:27:40.69\00:27:42.89
Let's pray.
00:27:42.89\00:27:43.93
Heavenly Father,
00:27:46.06\00:27:47.23
please draw near to
each viewer right now.
00:27:47.23\00:27:50.40
You know, their
hearts, their lives.
00:27:50.40\00:27:52.57
And Father, I pray
that you'd speak to them.
00:27:52.57\00:27:54.54
Draw them close to you.
00:27:54.54\00:27:56.30
That they might
form a relationship
00:27:56.30\00:27:58.04
for now through
eternity in Jesus' name.
00:27:58.04\00:28:01.21
Amen.
00:28:01.21\00:28:02.21
Hey, thanks for joining
us for "Country Wisdom."
00:28:05.51\00:28:08.35
- See you next time.
00:28:08.35\00:28:10.22