(gentle music)
00:00:00.53\00:00:02.60
- Oh yes, stay right there,
00:00:05.20\00:00:07.50
stay right there,
I'll be right back.
00:00:08.60\00:00:10.41
(gentle music continues)
00:00:10.41\00:00:12.87
- Hey, welcome everybody
00:00:12.87\00:00:14.44
to our Talking
Donkey International
00:00:14.44\00:00:16.04
and our new television
series, "Country Wisdom."
00:00:16.04\00:00:19.11
- Let's set the tone
for this new series of ours.
00:00:19.11\00:00:22.12
It's found in Proverbs 4,
00:00:22.12\00:00:24.82
"let your eyes
look directly forward
00:00:24.82\00:00:27.69
and your gaze be
straight before you.
00:00:27.69\00:00:30.79
Ponder the path of your feet
00:00:30.79\00:00:33.33
and then all your
ways will be sure."
00:00:33.33\00:00:36.90
- Join us now
for "Country Wisdom."
00:00:36.90\00:00:38.77
(gentle music)
00:00:38.77\00:00:41.30
- You know, Jim,
as we were driving
00:00:43.57\00:00:45.24
up to this mountain here
today, I noticed something
00:00:45.24\00:00:49.04
about us or at least something
00:00:49.04\00:00:51.28
that is very
different between you and me
00:00:51.28\00:00:55.55
and it was clear on that road.
00:00:55.55\00:00:57.69
Every time we would come to
a spot where it went steeper
00:00:57.69\00:01:01.96
or gotten narrower or both
00:01:01.96\00:01:04.49
and it's filled with rocks,
I'm thinking we should turn
00:01:04.49\00:01:08.33
around and you're
going, oh, we can make this.
00:01:08.33\00:01:12.27
There were times I
wasn't looking out the window
00:01:13.60\00:01:15.97
because we're on the
edge and I didn't want
00:01:15.97\00:01:18.71
to know how close we
were getting to the edge.
00:01:18.71\00:01:21.14
Clearly you like risks.
00:01:22.18\00:01:25.68
You like adventure.
00:01:25.68\00:01:26.88
You call it much more than I do.
00:01:26.88\00:01:29.22
I've always liked
to take the safe route.
00:01:30.35\00:01:33.36
(chuckles) When I was a girl,
I'd go to a birthday party.
00:01:34.72\00:01:38.09
Have you ever
played musical chairs?
00:01:38.09\00:01:40.03
- Oh yeah.
00:01:40.03\00:01:41.33
- I think every kid
has played musical chairs.
00:01:41.33\00:01:44.10
I was clinging to my chair
00:01:44.10\00:01:47.00
until I saw the
next one was empty
00:01:47.00\00:01:50.47
and that I could get to it.
00:01:50.47\00:01:52.11
I'm not risking giving
up this chair, this safety,
00:01:52.11\00:01:57.08
until I know I've got that one
00:01:57.98\00:01:59.18
waiting - You're
risk-averse.(laughs)
00:01:59.18\00:02:00.32
- I am risk-averse
00:02:00.32\00:02:02.62
and I have heard that about you.
00:02:02.62\00:02:04.99
Didn't your friends used
to have, what did you give
00:02:06.35\00:02:08.52
them, bumper
stickers - Hey, there is no
00:02:08.52\00:02:09.62
- Or was it
T-Shirts? - Use telling tales
00:02:09.62\00:02:10.99
on television.
00:02:10.99\00:02:11.79
- (laughs) But what was it?
00:02:11.79\00:02:13.60
They said I
survived a ride with Jim Ayer
00:02:13.60\00:02:16.56
- Yeah, something
like that. (chuckles)
00:02:16.56\00:02:17.67
- Yeah, well,
today I survived so far
00:02:17.67\00:02:20.67
but we still have to get down
00:02:20.67\00:02:22.17
but I've just always
wanted to take the safe way.
00:02:23.47\00:02:26.64
I like knowing what's ahead.
00:02:26.64\00:02:28.98
I like plan B's.
00:02:30.01\00:02:31.85
I like knowing,
well, if this doesn't work
00:02:31.85\00:02:33.48
I've got this
and I'm still okay.
00:02:33.48\00:02:35.48
There've been a lot of people
though that have taken risks
00:02:37.49\00:02:41.72
that I would
never consider taking.
00:02:41.72\00:02:44.16
And I don't know if that
means that they're foolhardy
00:02:44.16\00:02:46.63
and I'm the smart one, or
maybe it's the other way around.
00:02:46.63\00:02:51.20
But sometimes I think
it's worth examining our lives
00:02:52.70\00:02:55.40
and seeing just how
much that safety is worth.
00:02:55.40\00:02:59.34
- Maybe it has to
do with commitment
00:03:00.54\00:03:02.44
some kind of commitment, some
kind of goals and direction.
00:03:02.44\00:03:05.81
- I think so,
00:03:05.81\00:03:07.15
I think sometimes I
might be too comfortable
00:03:07.15\00:03:10.22
that safety
might be too important
00:03:10.22\00:03:12.25
and I wonder if
that's really been worth it.
00:03:13.72\00:03:16.19
You know, what might
I have done (chuckles)
00:03:17.29\00:03:19.19
if I'd been a little braver,
if I'd let go of that chair
00:03:19.19\00:03:24.23
a little sooner, I
might've won more games.
00:03:25.27\00:03:27.60
- So you still got out?
00:03:27.60\00:03:29.40
You're
risk-averse - Occasionally.
00:03:29.40\00:03:30.24
- And you got out anyway
00:03:30.24\00:03:31.71
- Sometimes, yes.
00:03:31.71\00:03:33.01
Maybe it's why I didn't
like birthday parties except
00:03:34.34\00:03:35.74
for the cake. (laughs)
00:03:35.74\00:03:37.35
- There you go.
00:03:37.35\00:03:38.45
- I think cake
is the only reason
00:03:38.45\00:03:39.81
to go to a birthday party.
00:03:39.81\00:03:41.75
- So what's the
lesson out of this?
00:03:41.75\00:03:43.42
- Well, I'm wondering
if I've played it too safe.
00:03:43.42\00:03:48.22
You know, the
road less traveled.
00:03:48.22\00:03:51.46
I would have looked at
those two roads when they forked
00:03:51.46\00:03:54.36
and said, well, it
looks like more people
00:03:54.36\00:03:55.76
have gone this way.
00:03:55.76\00:03:57.47
This is
probably the safer route.
00:03:57.47\00:03:59.33
I think you would
have done the opposite.
00:04:00.47\00:04:02.37
- Could be, could be.
00:04:03.71\00:04:05.47
- So are you off
to take another fork
00:04:05.47\00:04:06.91
in the road? -
Yeah, I'm gonna go
00:04:06.91\00:04:07.94
take another fork.
00:04:07.94\00:04:08.91
(laughing)
00:04:08.91\00:04:10.65
(gentle music)
00:04:10.65\00:04:13.28
You know, I've had the privilege
00:04:17.79\00:04:18.95
of being in Kathmandu, Nepal,
00:04:18.95\00:04:21.32
at least a couple of times
00:04:21.32\00:04:22.79
but probably the draw for
that country is Mount Everest.
00:04:24.13\00:04:27.50
29,029 feet, the
biggest mountain in the world,
00:04:27.50\00:04:32.53
the highest
mountain peak in the world.
00:04:33.64\00:04:35.57
It's incredible, for
years no one could climb it.
00:04:35.57\00:04:39.51
While they thought
maybe you could go blind,
00:04:39.51\00:04:41.64
your brain would explode
00:04:41.64\00:04:43.51
if you've got to that
height, that elevation,
00:04:43.51\00:04:45.81
nobody knew, it was a mystery.
00:04:45.81\00:04:48.85
And finally there
were a couple of men
00:04:48.85\00:04:51.42
and really a nation,
00:04:51.42\00:04:53.42
the British that said
"we've got to climb it."
00:04:53.42\00:04:55.92
But unfortunately in
those days, in those years,
00:04:55.92\00:04:58.99
there was only a few permits
given out, one permit per year.
00:04:58.99\00:05:02.90
In 1954, the French
had the permit already.
00:05:03.97\00:05:06.90
1955, The Swiss had the
permit, that only left 1953.
00:05:06.90\00:05:11.97
So they decided to go ahead.
00:05:12.77\00:05:14.14
It didn't give them
much time to prepare
00:05:14.14\00:05:17.45
but they decided to, now
I've, I've been on the trail,
00:05:17.45\00:05:20.82
the trail
(chuckles) it's a long trail.
00:05:20.82\00:05:23.49
It actually started in
Kathmandu and they had the walk,
00:05:23.49\00:05:26.79
the full length
to get all the way
00:05:26.79\00:05:28.32
to Everest, miles and miles,
00:05:28.32\00:05:29.89
a seven week
journey, tremendous time,
00:05:29.89\00:05:33.53
tremendous dedication.
00:05:33.53\00:05:35.33
Hillary was a 33
year old beekeeper.
00:05:36.40\00:05:39.37
He was a strapping man over
six feet tall, fully energetic
00:05:39.37\00:05:44.44
and he combined with another
young man Tenzing Norgay.
00:05:45.81\00:05:48.54
The two of them together,
the little Nepalese fellow
00:05:48.54\00:05:51.51
and this big old,
tall, a New Zealander said
00:05:51.51\00:05:55.15
"we're going to climb it"
00:05:55.15\00:05:56.22
but they didn't get the draw.
00:05:56.22\00:05:58.05
There was two other
fellows that got the draw
00:05:58.05\00:06:00.36
which meant they had the
first chance at the ascent.
00:06:00.36\00:06:04.13
They worked and worked and
worked and they got up higher
00:06:04.13\00:06:06.49
and higher and higher
and 300 feet from the summit.
00:06:06.49\00:06:11.53
They ran out of oxygen.
00:06:12.20\00:06:13.64
They ran out of
energy, out of time.
00:06:13.64\00:06:16.34
They had to turn around
and go back down 300 feet.
00:06:16.34\00:06:20.51
Well, the next was the ascent
00:06:21.51\00:06:23.11
for Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
00:06:23.11\00:06:25.35
They went, they went,
they went, they climbed
00:06:26.45\00:06:28.42
the gate, everything they
had, they got to the peak,
00:06:28.42\00:06:31.35
they'd summited, first
men in the world to summit.
00:06:31.35\00:06:35.02
And they said, "you know
00:06:35.02\00:06:36.39
we had one little tiny
camera and I didn't know
00:06:36.39\00:06:38.86
that Tenzing have any
idea how to operate it."
00:06:38.86\00:06:40.90
So he said, "I just stood there
00:06:40.90\00:06:42.23
and I took pictures all
the way around, everywhere
00:06:42.23\00:06:44.93
to show that we'd been there
00:06:44.93\00:06:46.23
and I took a couple of
Tenzing and then we came down."
00:06:46.23\00:06:48.57
That's all the time
we had, they were asked,
00:06:48.57\00:06:51.87
how did you do it?
00:06:51.87\00:06:53.11
How did you do it?
00:06:53.11\00:06:54.44
He said, "well, the biggest
battle is overcoming yourself."
00:06:54.44\00:06:58.38
Think about that.
00:06:59.65\00:07:00.82
The biggest battle
is overcoming yourself.
00:07:00.82\00:07:04.42
Now let's see, what was it?
00:07:04.42\00:07:06.82
No, 2013, actually 2013,
there was another fellow.
00:07:06.82\00:07:11.56
How do you say his name?
00:07:13.19\00:07:14.76
Yuichiro Miura, Japanese fellow.
00:07:14.76\00:07:18.33
His name doesn't really
matter but he climbed it.
00:07:18.33\00:07:21.34
Why is it exciting to me?
00:07:21.34\00:07:22.90
Because he was 83 years old.
00:07:22.90\00:07:26.01
(chuckles) Well, I'm
getting a little older
00:07:26.01\00:07:28.71
and that's exciting
to see a man like that
00:07:28.71\00:07:30.11
and you say, how
did this guy do it?
00:07:30.11\00:07:32.48
How did he do it?
00:07:32.48\00:07:33.68
He did it with 100% commitment.
00:07:33.68\00:07:37.25
(gentle music)
00:07:37.25\00:07:39.92
(water burbling)
00:07:43.22\00:07:45.33
It is sure good to
get out of all that snow,
00:07:45.33\00:07:48.10
get down here in a beautiful
location in the sunshine.
00:07:48.10\00:07:51.70
I listen to that water
00:07:51.70\00:07:52.80
and I think
about closing my eyes.
00:07:52.80\00:07:55.07
You can almost hear the surf
and the waves of the sea roll.
00:07:55.07\00:07:58.54
Now, the reason
I'm thinking about that
00:07:59.67\00:08:01.34
is I'm thinking
about Hernan Cortez
00:08:01.34\00:08:03.38
Cortez was born
right near the water,
00:08:04.41\00:08:07.02
born in 1485, he
was born to a family
00:08:07.02\00:08:10.39
that they weren't high nobility
00:08:10.39\00:08:12.52
but he was kind
of an up and comer
00:08:12.52\00:08:14.12
at least he tried to be
00:08:14.12\00:08:15.22
he wanted to be, tried
to get into government.
00:08:15.22\00:08:18.33
It only went so-so
for him, until he finally,
00:08:18.33\00:08:20.43
he went to Cuba and there
00:08:20.43\00:08:23.63
he was able to get a
little higher in the government.
00:08:23.63\00:08:26.97
He finally worked with people
00:08:26.97\00:08:28.54
and finally was able to
round up a bunch of ships.
00:08:28.54\00:08:33.27
He wanted to go to Mexico.
00:08:33.27\00:08:35.21
You see prior to him, there'd
been at least two expeditions
00:08:35.21\00:08:38.41
that had failed
to conquer the land.
00:08:38.41\00:08:40.68
And he thought, if I
can conquer the land,
00:08:40.68\00:08:42.42
if I can do this,
I'll be a great, great man.
00:08:42.42\00:08:44.89
So as he's gathering
all up, he got permission
00:08:45.99\00:08:49.09
and at the last
minute, he hears you can't go.
00:08:49.09\00:08:52.43
He didn't hear it directly
00:08:52.43\00:08:53.76
but someone told that's
what the government had said.
00:08:53.76\00:08:56.60
So at the last second,
he gathers up all the ships
00:08:56.60\00:08:58.73
all the men and he sails
and I believe it was 1518.
00:08:58.73\00:09:02.60
He heads out to Mexico.
00:09:02.60\00:09:04.07
He arrives in 1519 and there,
00:09:04.97\00:09:08.48
there's 5 million Aztecs
00:09:08.48\00:09:10.81
that greet him.
00:09:10.81\00:09:11.81
How many? 5 million.
00:09:11.81\00:09:14.12
Now let me, I
wrote down here for you
00:09:14.12\00:09:16.12
just so you can
kind of understand.
00:09:16.12\00:09:18.12
Cortez had 11 ships.
00:09:19.22\00:09:21.42
He had 13 horses, 110
sailors and 553 soldiers.
00:09:21.42\00:09:26.49
That's his entire army.
00:09:28.73\00:09:31.03
That's his entire group
00:09:31.03\00:09:32.37
but he wants to take
over a nation of 5 million.
00:09:32.37\00:09:35.37
I'll save you the
time of doing the numbers,
00:09:35.37\00:09:38.41
the crunching
here, it's 7,541 to one
00:09:38.41\00:09:42.38
7,541 to one.
00:09:43.35\00:09:46.65
What on earth is
this guy going to do?
00:09:47.68\00:09:49.68
Does he have a plan?
00:09:50.45\00:09:52.05
Well, yes he did,
he actually had a plan.
00:09:52.05\00:09:55.56
He went down to his ships.
00:09:55.56\00:09:57.26
He set every single
one of them on fire,
00:09:57.26\00:09:59.93
burned every single
ship, every single one.
00:10:02.06\00:10:06.50
You see, for him
there was no plan B.
00:10:06.50\00:10:09.20
There was no
opportunity for failure,
00:10:09.20\00:10:11.41
either we make it
or we die right here.
00:10:11.41\00:10:13.71
And guess what?
00:10:14.71\00:10:16.04
He made it.
00:10:16.04\00:10:17.21
He made it, he formed alliances.
00:10:17.21\00:10:19.75
He did all kinds of things.
00:10:19.75\00:10:21.38
He worked here and
there until he overcame
00:10:21.38\00:10:24.19
that entire nation
of 5 million people.
00:10:24.19\00:10:26.82
Today we still have
the city of Mexico city.
00:10:26.82\00:10:29.99
That monster city that I
think is maybe the largest
00:10:29.99\00:10:33.36
if not one of the
largest in the entire world
00:10:33.36\00:10:35.90
because of his 100%
commitment, 100% commitment.
00:10:35.90\00:10:40.34
It makes a real
difference in a life.
00:10:41.50\00:10:44.04
It had been a
torrential downpour in England.
00:10:45.74\00:10:47.91
The streets were
almost running like the river.
00:10:47.91\00:10:50.61
Benjamin Mee had his arm
extended all the way down
00:10:50.61\00:10:53.82
into a drain hole,
trying to unplug it,
00:10:53.82\00:10:55.95
when his phone rang,
he answered the phone
00:10:55.95\00:10:58.92
and it was Cameron Crowe.
00:10:58.92\00:11:00.29
He said, "hey, I'm
here on Hollywood Boulevard,
00:11:00.29\00:11:03.26
in Hollywood and guess what?
00:11:03.26\00:11:05.76
Matt Damon has
agreed to play you.
00:11:05.76\00:11:07.40
Sorry, I gotta go
and he hung up the phone.
00:11:07.40\00:11:10.80
Well, Hollywood, you
see, it was the movie.
00:11:10.80\00:11:14.50
"I Bought a Zoo."
00:11:14.50\00:11:16.27
Now in the story, the
zoo is in another country
00:11:16.27\00:11:18.67
but it was actually in England.
00:11:18.67\00:11:20.88
Benjamin and his wife
were having terrible trouble.
00:11:20.88\00:11:24.11
She was a 40 year
old lady who had cancer
00:11:24.11\00:11:26.45
and they wanted to do something
00:11:27.25\00:11:29.68
and the sister sent
him an advertisement
00:11:29.68\00:11:32.12
about this zoo
that was for sale.
00:11:32.12\00:11:34.19
An old busted down,
broken down horrible zoo
00:11:34.19\00:11:37.23
that was in
such great disrepair.
00:11:37.23\00:11:38.79
It was just unbelievable.
00:11:38.79\00:11:40.16
How would they even buy it?
00:11:41.36\00:11:42.63
It was way over
a million dollars
00:11:42.63\00:11:44.80
but the family sold
everything they had.
00:11:44.80\00:11:47.40
The mother
helped them chipped in
00:11:47.40\00:11:49.74
and they found this zoo
that had an extra bedroom,
00:11:49.74\00:11:53.31
an extra house on it.
00:11:53.31\00:11:54.21
Then mom could live too.
00:11:54.21\00:11:55.71
So they all went in together
and they bought the zoo.
00:11:55.71\00:11:59.01
Shortly, the wife
died, terrible situation
00:11:59.01\00:12:03.02
but people asked
when the movie came out
00:12:03.02\00:12:05.32
and he actually wrote a
book, how did it happen?
00:12:05.32\00:12:07.89
How did you do all this?
00:12:07.89\00:12:09.12
How did you survive?
00:12:09.12\00:12:10.53
And why'd you do
it in the first place?
00:12:10.53\00:12:12.79
Well, I wrote down his answer
00:12:12.79\00:12:14.03
because it's very
apropos for today's study.
00:12:14.03\00:12:16.50
He says, "sometimes,
all you need is 20 seconds"
00:12:16.50\00:12:19.97
- Of insane courage
00:12:19.97\00:12:21.07
and I promise you,
something great will come of it.
00:12:22.37\00:12:27.24
- 20 Seconds of insane courage.
00:12:31.68\00:12:33.95
I think of David and Goliath.
00:12:34.75\00:12:37.05
The story in the
Bible, you know that story.
00:12:37.05\00:12:39.65
David takes on a mighty giant.
00:12:39.65\00:12:41.92
We believe that giant
was probably nine feet tall,
00:12:41.92\00:12:45.53
little David, the shepherd boy.
00:12:45.53\00:12:47.46
And guess what?
00:12:48.46\00:12:50.03
God worked through him
and a mighty miracle occurred.
00:12:50.03\00:12:52.10
He beat that giant.
00:12:52.10\00:12:53.27
And then I think of, oh
there's another fellow, Jonathan
00:12:54.64\00:12:56.67
whose father was
the King, King Saul.
00:12:56.67\00:12:59.14
There was thousands of chariots.
00:13:00.11\00:13:01.61
There were
thousands of men of war.
00:13:01.61\00:13:03.08
They all came against
Israel, to beat Israel to a pulp
00:13:03.08\00:13:07.52
and Jonathan said
to his armor bearer,
00:13:08.62\00:13:10.15
"we've got to do something."
00:13:10.15\00:13:11.69
What can one man
and his armor bearer
00:13:13.19\00:13:15.42
do against an
entire army like that?
00:13:15.42\00:13:17.43
Jonathan said,
"let's go out over here
00:13:18.46\00:13:20.03
to this rock outcropping.
00:13:20.03\00:13:21.56
I know the
Philistines are over there.
00:13:21.56\00:13:24.00
Let's go there and
let's reveal ourselves to them
00:13:24.00\00:13:27.64
and if they say,
come up to where we are,
00:13:27.64\00:13:30.61
that's a sign from God
that God will be with us."
00:13:30.61\00:13:33.78
They went over to that
location and sure enough,
00:13:35.11\00:13:37.18
they showed their
selves, hey fellas,
00:13:37.18\00:13:39.01
what are you doing up there?
00:13:39.01\00:13:40.78
Philistines looked down
and said, "hey, little man,
00:13:40.78\00:13:43.35
come on up here and
we'll show you a thing or two."
00:13:43.35\00:13:45.99
At that point, it's
too late to back out.
00:13:47.09\00:13:49.46
But in their hearts,
they didn't wanna back out.
00:13:49.46\00:13:52.73
They wanted to follow along
00:13:52.73\00:13:54.10
with what God was
going to do through them.
00:13:54.10\00:13:56.56
They started
climbing up the rocks.
00:13:58.37\00:13:59.83
They had to go, walked on
their hands and knees to get up.
00:13:59.83\00:14:02.77
And there's at least
20 men on this escarpment,
00:14:02.77\00:14:06.51
20 men, brave warriors
of the Philistine army.
00:14:06.51\00:14:10.11
The next scene, they've
killed every single one of them.
00:14:11.45\00:14:15.28
So much thrill
that, the fear ran
00:14:15.28\00:14:17.49
throughout the
entire Philistine army.
00:14:17.49\00:14:20.39
Beware, get out of the way
these guys, God is with them.
00:14:20.39\00:14:23.43
And because of that, 20 seconds
00:14:24.43\00:14:26.13
of insane courage of
climbing on their hands
00:14:26.13\00:14:28.13
and knees up a
mountain to attack another army
00:14:28.13\00:14:31.57
God did mighty
things through them.
00:14:32.60\00:14:34.70
That's what you and I need
is 20 seconds of insane courage.
00:14:34.70\00:14:37.97
(gentle music)
00:14:38.74\00:14:42.04
- We have a problem,
00:14:42.04\00:14:43.55
and the problem is commitment.
00:14:43.55\00:14:45.28
We are so often,
00:14:46.28\00:14:48.38
unable, unwilling to
really commit to God.
00:14:48.38\00:14:52.92
Over and over, in
stories in the scripture.
00:14:52.92\00:14:55.86
We're shown people
who gave up everything
00:14:55.86\00:14:59.66
when they had
gotten their sights.
00:14:59.66\00:15:01.76
They met Jesus and turned their
backs on their former lives.
00:15:01.76\00:15:05.83
Zacchaeus, he worked
for the IRS of that time
00:15:05.83\00:15:09.70
and he had cheated people.
00:15:09.70\00:15:11.74
He was rich but he hadn't
gotten all that money, honestly.
00:15:11.74\00:15:16.61
After he met Jesus,
he not only promised
00:15:17.75\00:15:20.98
to pay back
everything he'd stolen.
00:15:20.98\00:15:23.79
He said he'd pay back four times
00:15:23.79\00:15:26.79
what he owed, that's commitment.
00:15:26.79\00:15:30.23
Then you have Peter
and Andrew, fishermen.
00:15:30.23\00:15:33.26
When Jesus came by and told
them to follow him, they did,
00:15:33.26\00:15:38.30
they didn't stop
to argue about it.
00:15:39.40\00:15:40.47
They didn't stop to
make sure all their decks
00:15:40.47\00:15:42.87
were in a row
before they walked away.
00:15:42.87\00:15:45.24
They simply followed
Jesus and didn't look back.
00:15:45.24\00:15:49.34
You've got people like
Matthew, another tax collector.
00:15:50.58\00:15:54.18
Jesus told him to follow him.
00:15:54.18\00:15:56.79
Matthew left a pile of money
on a table in front of him,
00:15:56.79\00:16:01.66
walked away from it.
00:16:01.66\00:16:02.96
He wasn't saying,
oh, just a minute.
00:16:02.96\00:16:04.73
Let me put this somewhere
safe so I can come back to it.
00:16:04.73\00:16:07.86
He just left his life,
00:16:07.86\00:16:10.27
left his income
and followed Jesus.
00:16:10.27\00:16:14.04
Mary Magdalene.
00:16:14.04\00:16:15.74
She had some
fits and starts there.
00:16:15.74\00:16:18.84
She would commit
and backslide, commit
00:16:18.84\00:16:21.71
and backslide we're told.
00:16:21.71\00:16:23.75
But once the
commitment took hold,
00:16:23.75\00:16:26.61
once she went for
it, wholeheartedly,
00:16:26.61\00:16:29.82
her commitment went deeper
than I think even the disciples.
00:16:29.82\00:16:34.19
We need to have
that kind of commitment.
00:16:35.32\00:16:38.33
We need to stop
being like Israel.
00:16:38.33\00:16:41.36
Israel kept doing the same thing
00:16:41.36\00:16:43.10
and thinking they'd
get a different result
00:16:43.10\00:16:45.30
and too often in
our lives, in my life
00:16:45.30\00:16:49.34
I do the same thing,
stumbling along same old life.
00:16:49.34\00:16:54.41
Wishing that we had a
closer relationship with God.
00:16:55.71\00:16:58.48
We want to spend
eternity with Jesus
00:16:58.48\00:17:01.48
but we can't find the time
to spend a little few minutes
00:17:01.48\00:17:03.95
with him right now.
00:17:03.95\00:17:05.22
We need to burn the boats.
00:17:06.39\00:17:08.49
Humans are obsessed with love
or at least the idea of love.
00:17:18.10\00:17:23.17
But unlike our
often shallow definition.
00:17:24.31\00:17:27.48
God's love is real.
00:17:27.48\00:17:29.64
He's always fair and he
always wants what's best for us.
00:17:29.64\00:17:34.38
That's why he chose to
give us the book of Revelation,
00:17:34.38\00:17:37.55
chose to warn us what was
going to happen in the future.
00:17:37.55\00:17:41.56
The messages of the three angels
00:17:41.56\00:17:43.49
of revelation
revealed God's true love.
00:17:43.49\00:17:47.20
Go to
TalkingDonkeyInternational.org
00:17:47.20\00:17:49.96
and request offer number 124
00:17:49.96\00:17:52.33
and get your free
copy of "Love's Last Call."
00:17:52.33\00:17:56.74
- There's an interesting
story in the book of Kings.
00:17:58.61\00:18:00.84
Matter of fact,
1 Kings chapter 19
00:18:00.84\00:18:03.98
that talks about
Elijah, the prophet.
00:18:03.98\00:18:06.41
See Elijah had, well, he
was God's man for many years
00:18:06.41\00:18:11.49
but he began
thinking he was kind
00:18:12.49\00:18:13.92
of the only one who
see him and God said,
00:18:13.92\00:18:17.33
"okay, it's time for you
to appoint your successor,
00:18:17.33\00:18:21.16
go out and find this other man."
00:18:21.16\00:18:22.53
God tends to do that with us
00:18:22.53\00:18:24.17
if we kind of get a big head
00:18:24.17\00:18:26.84
if we kind of feel like
we're the only one around.
00:18:26.84\00:18:29.14
God works out
situations to show us,
00:18:29.14\00:18:31.37
no, no, you're not the only one.
00:18:31.37\00:18:33.68
I've got many
others and matter of fact,
00:18:33.68\00:18:35.78
the only way
that you're worthwhile
00:18:35.78\00:18:38.08
is by living in me and
allowing me to work through you.
00:18:38.08\00:18:41.62
That's the only time
a real blessing can come
00:18:41.62\00:18:44.42
is when we allow
God to work through us.
00:18:44.42\00:18:46.25
Not when we go out and do this
00:18:46.25\00:18:47.89
and go out and do that
and do all these things.
00:18:47.89\00:18:50.76
I get so, no, I
wouldn't say upset
00:18:50.76\00:18:54.36
but it bothers me so much
00:18:54.36\00:18:55.43
when we get
together in church boards
00:18:55.43\00:18:57.77
and we plan and
we plan and we plan
00:18:57.77\00:19:00.10
and we run out and say, hey God,
00:19:00.10\00:19:01.87
I've got this great
plan, come follow me.
00:19:01.87\00:19:03.97
You never find
that in the Bible.
00:19:05.17\00:19:06.81
What you find in the
Bible is where God is at work
00:19:06.81\00:19:10.68
and then God
says, hey, come join me.
00:19:10.68\00:19:13.18
Anyway, he said, go on
and find this young man.
00:19:14.28\00:19:17.62
So Elijah
traveled out and he came
00:19:17.62\00:19:19.22
to this farm and
this particular farm.
00:19:19.22\00:19:22.62
He saw a young man out
there with 12 yoke of oxen.
00:19:22.62\00:19:26.13
They're all plowing,
they're plowing this huge field.
00:19:26.13\00:19:29.36
He goes down to him,
throws his mantle over him
00:19:29.36\00:19:32.60
in a way that says
on the East, follow me.
00:19:32.60\00:19:35.07
Well, Elisha
immediately knows what it means.
00:19:36.14\00:19:38.51
He runs up to him, he
said, let me go kiss my mother
00:19:38.51\00:19:40.88
and my father goodbye.
00:19:40.88\00:19:42.61
The old prophet said, oh
no, that's okay, you just stay.
00:19:42.61\00:19:46.11
In other words, it was a test.
00:19:46.11\00:19:48.05
God likes to test
each one of us to see
00:19:48.05\00:19:50.75
if our commitment is real.
00:19:50.75\00:19:52.82
If our commitment is
genuine, no, no, you just stay.
00:19:52.82\00:19:57.89
But instead, the young
man went kissed the mother
00:19:59.23\00:20:00.63
and father, slaughtered all
of them, the working animals
00:20:00.63\00:20:05.40
and had built up a
big bonfire with what?
00:20:06.47\00:20:08.57
Where did he get the wood?
00:20:08.57\00:20:09.94
It says he took all the
yolk, all the wooden yoke
00:20:09.94\00:20:12.44
of all the oxen, put them
in a pile and created this huge
00:20:12.44\00:20:15.44
bonfire and put
all the meat on it
00:20:15.44\00:20:18.11
and invited all the neighbors.
00:20:18.11\00:20:20.52
Why all the neighbors? He
had an announcement to make.
00:20:20.52\00:20:22.72
He said, "I'm leaving,
00:20:22.72\00:20:24.59
I'm committing my life to
follow this prophet of God."
00:20:24.59\00:20:28.29
Well, follow
this prophet of God.
00:20:29.62\00:20:31.93
But when he got to
the prophet, he said,
00:20:31.93\00:20:33.50
"look, basically I will
follow you if you promise me
00:20:33.50\00:20:37.47
that you'll give
me twice the miracles
00:20:37.47\00:20:41.10
and the
blessings that you have."
00:20:41.10\00:20:43.41
Elijah said, "no, no that's
not mine to give only God's.
00:20:43.41\00:20:46.54
But if you see
this and such and such
00:20:46.54\00:20:49.54
then you know that God
has answered that prayer."
00:20:49.54\00:20:52.41
Well, later on,
that's exactly what happened.
00:20:52.41\00:20:54.55
He saw the very
things that Elijah
00:20:54.55\00:20:56.52
had laid out that God would do
00:20:56.52\00:20:59.09
if he was to
answer Elijah's prayer.
00:20:59.09\00:21:00.96
And guess what?
00:21:01.96\00:21:03.02
In all of Elijah's
life, he did 14 miracles.
00:21:03.02\00:21:06.80
Elisha did 28
miracles, 28 you see,
00:21:08.16\00:21:11.97
why did God answer the
prayers of this man like that?
00:21:11.97\00:21:15.34
I mean, he was asking
for an amazing blessing.
00:21:15.34\00:21:18.14
The reason was is because
he was 100% committed to God.
00:21:19.51\00:21:24.38
He turned in his
resignation to Elijah Farms Inc.
00:21:25.65\00:21:28.82
He burned
everything in the past.
00:21:29.82\00:21:31.69
He was ready to follow
God, wherever God was leading.
00:21:31.69\00:21:35.22
How about you?
00:21:36.02\00:21:37.53
Are you ready to follow God?
00:21:37.53\00:21:38.86
Do you have that 100% commitment
00:21:38.86\00:21:41.53
in your life to
follow God wherever he leads
00:21:41.53\00:21:44.30
that you might
receive the blessings of God?
00:21:44.30\00:21:47.40
(gentle music)
00:21:47.40\00:21:49.97
I was hoping to find a butterfly
00:21:56.78\00:21:59.25
because a butterfly is really
00:21:59.25\00:22:01.18
about what this
part is all about.
00:22:01.18\00:22:04.05
Dr. Edward Lorenz, you see,
00:22:04.05\00:22:05.89
he was a meteorologist,
Professor actually at MIT.
00:22:05.89\00:22:10.09
Quite a guy, he knew and
understood a lot of things
00:22:11.46\00:22:14.03
but back about 60 years ago,
00:22:14.03\00:22:16.87
he took some
weather pattern figures.
00:22:16.87\00:22:18.57
He plugged them into a computer
00:22:18.57\00:22:19.93
and he went away to
get a cup of coffee.
00:22:19.93\00:22:22.24
Now, in those days,
computers weren't like this.
00:22:22.24\00:22:25.77
You know, I probably
have enough programming here
00:22:25.77\00:22:29.31
to handle the entire Apollo
Space Program but he didn't.
00:22:29.31\00:22:33.48
He had to plug in these figures
00:22:33.48\00:22:35.45
about 12 different
variables as I remember.
00:22:35.45\00:22:38.45
So he went away to have coffee.
00:22:38.45\00:22:39.99
He came back and what
he had was not anything
00:22:39.99\00:22:43.83
like what he'd had
just a few days prior.
00:22:43.83\00:22:46.06
He wondered what
happened, what changed?
00:22:46.06\00:22:47.93
I mean,
everything was different.
00:22:47.93\00:22:50.43
The weather
pattern was the same.
00:22:50.43\00:22:52.13
Well, he began looking
00:22:52.13\00:22:53.44
and he realized
this time he had plugged
00:22:53.44\00:22:55.77
in 0.506 was his number, 0.506.
00:22:55.77\00:23:00.44
He left off the
rest of the numbers, 127.
00:23:00.44\00:23:03.51
You see the whole
figure was 0.506127.
00:23:03.51\00:23:08.22
But he just
thought, it's almost nothing,
00:23:08.22\00:23:11.05
it's infinitesimal,
I'll just leave it out.
00:23:11.05\00:23:14.26
But no, that tiny bit
clear at the end of that,
00:23:14.26\00:23:18.29
you know, the
billionth changed everything.
00:23:18.29\00:23:21.93
So much, so that and I
wrote this where he did this.
00:23:21.93\00:23:25.17
In 1972 at an annual meeting,
00:23:25.17\00:23:27.57
the American Association
for the Advancement of Science,
00:23:27.57\00:23:31.21
what he called
the Butterfly Effect.
00:23:31.21\00:23:34.08
He said that a
butterfly flapping its wings
00:23:34.08\00:23:36.24
and pretzel can produce
a weather change in Texas.
00:23:36.24\00:23:40.82
(chuckles)Think about that.
00:23:40.82\00:23:42.65
A butterfly that
flaps its wings can change
00:23:42.65\00:23:45.95
the weather patterns,
clear up in another country
00:23:45.95\00:23:48.92
another nation,
that tiny, tiny bit.
00:23:48.92\00:23:53.03
See for you and
for me, one action.
00:23:53.03\00:23:57.33
One action aimed at a new
direction can change everything,
00:23:57.33\00:24:01.10
can absolutely change your life.
00:24:01.90\00:24:04.31
If you take that
single step in a new direction
00:24:04.31\00:24:07.81
- Don't underestimate the power
00:24:12.48\00:24:15.52
of one little
decision, one little change,
00:24:15.52\00:24:19.05
one step closer to God,
00:24:19.05\00:24:22.09
because he can take that
little decision of yours,
00:24:23.46\00:24:26.46
that small change and turn it
00:24:26.46\00:24:29.73
into something more powerful
than you can even imagine.
00:24:29.73\00:24:33.00
(gentle music)
00:24:38.61\00:24:41.24
Jim, why is it do you think
00:24:44.35\00:24:46.31
that people hesitate
to make that first step
00:24:46.31\00:24:51.12
to lean toward Jesus?
00:24:51.12\00:24:54.29
What do you think it
is that's stopping them?
00:24:54.29\00:24:56.59
- You know, maybe there's a key.
00:24:57.39\00:24:59.19
And I had dinner one time
00:24:59.19\00:25:00.93
with a psychologist
and I asked him a question.
00:25:00.93\00:25:03.00
I said, is there a single
common thread that's woven
00:25:03.00\00:25:07.10
through every single one in
your patient's stories or lives?
00:25:07.10\00:25:10.74
It didn't take him any
time at all to respond.
00:25:11.84\00:25:13.71
He said, "Jim," he
said, "every single one
00:25:13.71\00:25:16.01
of those patients
think they're going
00:25:16.01\00:25:17.75
to lose something of
value if they let go."
00:25:17.75\00:25:20.88
- You know, I hate to admit
it but I think I can relate.
00:25:22.28\00:25:25.12
I remember the first
time you convinced me to go
00:25:26.45\00:25:28.59
on a mission trip.
00:25:28.59\00:25:29.72
I could understand
why you wanted my husband,
00:25:29.72\00:25:31.76
he's a physician.
00:25:31.76\00:25:33.13
Of course he'd be useful
00:25:33.13\00:25:34.83
and everybody who
had been on them before,
00:25:34.83\00:25:37.90
they all were talking
about how it changes your life,
00:25:37.90\00:25:41.30
that you get closer to God
00:25:41.30\00:25:43.37
and you don't come
back the same person.
00:25:43.37\00:25:46.24
And I had to admit that
there was a little tiny part
00:25:46.24\00:25:49.31
of me going,
oh, do I want to go?
00:25:49.31\00:25:51.68
Because we get satisfied.
00:25:51.68\00:25:53.42
I was afraid.
00:25:53.42\00:25:55.18
I don't wanna
say afraid to change
00:25:56.28\00:25:57.99
and I certainly wasn't
afraid to get closer to God.
00:25:57.99\00:26:01.26
It was just, what does
that change gonna look like?
00:26:01.26\00:26:03.59
What will that new
version of me look like?
00:26:03.59\00:26:06.76
- Something
different than what you were.
00:26:06.76\00:26:08.43
- Right, and I'm always
afraid of change, you know?
00:26:08.43\00:26:11.40
So it took a little pushing
to get me to willingly go
00:26:11.40\00:26:16.47
and experience that new thing.
00:26:17.27\00:26:19.01
- So here, I've got a
question maybe for you,
00:26:19.01\00:26:21.94
for our audience today,
the Bible in the last chapter,
00:26:21.94\00:26:26.01
basically of Revelation, it says
00:26:26.01\00:26:28.65
"he that overcomes
shall inherit all things
00:26:28.65\00:26:31.42
and I will be his God
and he will be my people.
00:26:31.42\00:26:34.02
They will be my people."
00:26:34.02\00:26:35.76
We inherit everything.
00:26:35.76\00:26:37.06
The eternal happiness,
eternal life, eternal glory,
00:26:37.06\00:26:39.83
set with God and his
throne and rule the universe,
00:26:39.83\00:26:42.83
all of this.
00:26:42.83\00:26:43.73
How do you think about that
00:26:44.53\00:26:47.67
and wanna hang onto the
stuff here on planet earth?
00:26:47.67\00:26:50.61
- I think you really
have to give some thought
00:26:50.61\00:26:52.71
or I certainly
have had to do that.
00:26:52.71\00:26:55.44
What exactly is it that
I'm clinging to and why?
00:26:55.44\00:27:00.22
You know, why is it
that I'm afraid to give
00:27:00.22\00:27:02.42
that up, afraid to give it over?
00:27:02.42\00:27:05.05
Because there are times
whether it's a little habit
00:27:05.05\00:27:08.19
that maybe could use
some tweaking or a big change
00:27:08.19\00:27:12.63
like giving your
heart to God to start with,
00:27:12.63\00:27:15.16
making the decision,
I'm going to be a Christian
00:27:15.16\00:27:17.20
and I don't care
who knows it anymore.
00:27:17.20\00:27:19.17
Whatever that change is,
sometimes you just have to ask,
00:27:20.44\00:27:24.11
what am I clinging to and why?
00:27:24.11\00:27:27.31
Am I gripping so tightly to it?
00:27:27.31\00:27:29.18
- Yeah, I know I find myself
00:27:29.18\00:27:30.55
at one time gripping
and hanging and everything
00:27:30.55\00:27:33.38
and I finally made that decision
00:27:33.38\00:27:35.78
and it was absolutely
life altering for the better.
00:27:35.78\00:27:39.65
For absolutely better.
- For always is I think.
00:27:39.65\00:27:41.66
- It always is when
you're choosing God, yeah.
00:27:41.66\00:27:43.83
Folks, I urge you, Janice.
00:27:43.83\00:27:45.59
We both urge you to choose
God to take that 20 seconds
00:27:45.59\00:27:49.33
of insane courage and
make a move toward God, right?
00:27:49.33\00:27:52.43
- Exactly.
00:27:52.43\00:27:53.77
- I mean, whatever it
is, whatever you're doing,
00:27:53.77\00:27:56.20
move toward God, have that
100% commitment for a moment.
00:27:56.20\00:28:00.88
It will be life-changing.
00:28:00.88\00:28:02.94
(gentle music)
00:28:02.94\00:28:05.58
Hey, thanks for joining
us for "Country Wisdom."
00:28:07.82\00:28:10.45
- See you next time.
00:28:10.45\00:28:12.02
(gentle music continues)
00:28:12.02\00:28:15.52