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Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG021256A
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:09 >>SO WHAT IS THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT IN THE WORLD? 00:12 WELL, NATURALLY, YOU'D SAY THE SUN, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 00:14 THE BRIGHTEST MAN-MADE LIGHT IN THE WORLD. 00:17 IT'S THE LIGHT THAT SHINES OUT OF THE ROOF OF THAT 00:19 PYRAMID-SHAPED HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS CALLED THE LUXOR. 00:23 THERE, IN THE CAP OF THAT HOTEL, THERE'S A ROOM THAT CONTAINS 39 00:27 WASHING-MACHINE SIZED XENON BULBS; AND EACH OF THOSE BULBS 00:31 REQUIRES ABOUT 7,000 WATTS. ALTOGETHER, THEY PRODUCE ABOUT 00:36 40 BILLION CANDLE POWER OF LIGHT. 00:39 CAN YOU IMAGINE GETTING THAT ELECTRIC BILL AT THE LUXOR HOTEL 00:42 EVERY MONTH? THAT LIGHT IS SO BRIGHT THAT 00:45 PLANES CAN SEE IT 250 MILES AWAY. 00:48 THEY'RE SHOOTING LIGHT TEN MILES UP INTO SPACE, MEANING, IF YOU 00:52 HAPPEN TO BE FLOATING BY, YOU COULD READ A NEWSPAPER UP THERE. 00:56 AND, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE GUESSED, THAT BRIGHT LIGHT HAS BECOME THE 00:59 WORLD'S BEST BUG ATTRACTOR, BRINGING IN MOTHS, BATS, AND 01:03 OWLS - CREATING IT'S OWN ECOSYSTEM THERE AT NIGHT, ABOVE 01:06 THE HOTEL. BUT THE SAD THING ABOUT THE 01:08 BRIGHTEST LIGHT IN THE WORLD IS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE NIGHT AIR IS 01:12 CLEAR - WITHOUT ANY PARTICLES - THE LIGHT DOESN'T HIT 01:14 ANYTHING AND IT'S INVISIBLE. IT SHOOTS UP INTO EMPTY SPACE. 01:20 THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT IN THE WORLD ILLUMINATES NOTHING. 01:24 YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT THERE'S ANOTHER GREAT 01:25 WASTED LIGHT, AND THAT'S THE LIGHT OF GOD'S WORD. 01:29 IT SAYS IN PSALM 119, VERSE 105, "THY WORD IS A LAMP UNTO MY FEET 01:34 AND A LIGHT UNTO MY PATH.' AND YET, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE WALKING 01:38 IN DARKNESS. FURTHERMORE, JESUS SAID, IF YOU 01:41 DO HAVE THAT LIGHT, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T PUT IT UNDER A BUSHEL, 01:44 BUT YOU LET IT SHINE AND ILLUMINATE THE LIVES OF OTHERS. 01:47 JESUS SAID, IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 5, 'SET YOUR LIGHT UP ON A HLL, 01:50 LIKE A CITY, SO THAT ALL MIGHT SEE IT.' LIGHT ONLY BENEFITS 01:54 OTHERS WHEN IT REFLECTS OFF OF SOMETHING. 01:57 GOD WANTS OUR LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE LIVES OF OTHERS. 02:01 SO, ARE YOU GLOWING FOR GOD? REMEMBER, JESUS SAID, 'LET 02:05 THERE BE LIGHT.' (MUSIC) 02:14 >>IN SIX DAYS GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 02:18 FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS MAN HAS WORSHIPED GOD ON THE SEVENTH DAY 02:22 OF THE WEEK. NOW, EACH WEEK, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORSHIP ON 02:26 THE FIRST DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? WHY DID GOD CREATE A DAY OF 02:30 REST? DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT DAY WE WORSHIP? 02:33 WHO WAS BEHIND THIS GREAT SHIFT? DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND 02:37 GOD'S LAW AND HOW IT WAS CHANGED. 02:39 VISIT SABBATHTRUTH.COM. (MUSIC) 02:49 >>AMAZING FACTS BEGAN IN 1965 WITH A GOD-INSPIRED 02:54 CONCEPT. >>HELLO, THIS IS JOE CREWS AND 02:57 THE AMAZING FACTS BROADCAST FACTS WHICH AFFECT YOU. 03:00 >>EACH RADIO BROADCAST WOULD BEGIN WITH AN AMAZING FACT FROM 03:04 SCIENCE, NATURE, OR HISTORY, FOLLOWED BY A BIBLE MESSAGE THAT 03:08 TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF LISTENERS FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE. 03:12 THE PROGRAM WAS AN INSTANT SUCCESS AND THE MINISTRY SOON 03:15 BEGAN EXPANDING TO INCLUDE BIBLE LESSONS. 03:18 IN 1986 AMAZING FACTS ADDED THE MEDIUM OF TELEVISION TO ITS 03:23 GROWING OUTREACH EFFORTS, OFFERING SOUL-WINNING 03:26 EVANGELISTIC MESSAGES FOR VIEWERS AROUND THE WORLD. 03:30 IN 1994, PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR ASSUMED LEADERSHIP OF THE 03:34 MINISTRY, ADDING THE BIBLE ANSWERS LIVE CALL-IN RADIO 03:38 PROGRAM AND NEW MINISTRY TV PROGRAMS BEGAN AIRING ON 03:41 MULTIPLE NETWORKS AROUND THE WORLD. 03:45 FOR 50 YEARS, THE DRIVING VISION OF AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN THE 03:49 BOLD PROCLAMATION OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL AND, WITH A 03:53 TEAM OF EVANGELISTS CIRCLING THE GLOBE, AND THOUSANDS OF MEN AND 03:57 WOMEN BEING TRAINED THROUGH THE AMAZING FACTS CENTER OF 03:59 EVANGELISM PROGRAM - AFCOE - THE MINISTRY IS HELPING GOD'S CHURCH 04:04 SEE A RICH HARVEST OF SOULS. 04:07 AMAZING FACTS: GOD'S MESSAGE, OUR MISSION. 04:16 (MUSIC) 04:32 >>I GREW UP IN A CHURCH-GOING FAMILY. 04:35 I MEAN, WE WERE AT EVERY MEETING. 04:37 I SANG IN FOUR OF THE CHOIRS THERE. 04:40 I DIRECTED THREE - VERY INVOLVED - VERY ACTIVE. 04:44 IT ALMOST SEEMED LIKE BUSY WORK SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW? 04:48 I WENT TO SUNDAY SCHOOL. I KNEW ABOUT GOD. 04:51 I KNEW ABOUT JESUS, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP 04:56 WITH JESUS CHRIST. MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL 05:00 I GOT THE NEWS THAT MY FATHER HAD BEEN MURDERED. 05:07 NOW, I PLAYED IT OFF WELL. NO ONE REALLY SAW THAT I 05:09 WAS STRUGGLING WITH IT. IT JUST REALLY FELT LIKE THERE 05:16 WAS A HOLE THAT NEEDED TO BE FILLED AND I TRIED TO FILL IT 05:20 WITH DRUGS, WITH ALCOHOL, WITH PARTYING. 05:24 AFTER COLLEGE, I JUST STOPPED GOING TO CHURCH ALTOGETHER. 05:31 ONE DAY, ON A SUNDAY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE GOING TO CHURCH 05:34 WITH MY MOM, I THOUGHT, 'YOU KNOW, I SHOULD GET A LITTLE BIT 05:39 OF WORD.' AND THERE I AM, HIGH OFF 05:42 COCAINE, WITH MY BIBLE IN HAND, TRYING TO DO A BIBLE STUDY. 05:48 AND I HEARD AN AUDIBLE VOICE, 'JUST LOOK AT YOURSELF!' 05:54 AND I DID AND I WAS LIKE, 'WHAT AM I DOING?' 06:03 AND I GOT ON MY KNEES. I SAID, 'LORD, IF YOU DO NOT 06:06 TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME NOW, I'M GOING TO KILL MYSELF.' I WAS 06:15 GOING TO CONTINUE THIS LIFESTYLE AND I WAS GOING TO END UP 06:18 OVERDOSING, HAVING A HEART ATTACK, WHATEVER IT WAS. 06:23 'YOU HAVE TO TAKE THIS AWAY - ALL OF IT.' AND THAT DAY HE 06:32 LIFTED ALL OF IT AWAY FROM ME. IT WAS ALL GONE. 06:36 WHEN GOD DOES SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE, HE DOES IT COMPLETE. 06:44 MY NAME IS EDMOND GIBBS AND I RECLAIMED MY FAITH. 06:50 >>AMEN. ONCE AGAIN, FRIENDS, WE'RE VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU ARE 06:53 HERE FOR THE 'RECLAIM YOUR FAITH' PROGRAM. 06:56 AND I HOPE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE - PART OF THE LIVE AUDIENCE 06:59 - WILL BE PRAYING IN YOUR HEARTS. 07:01 AS I SAID, I REALIZE THAT IN SOME RESPECT, I MIGHT BE TALKING 07:04 HERE TO THE CHOIR, BUT WE KNOW STATISTICALLY THERE ARE A LOT OF 07:08 PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO CHURCH THAT ARE JUST HANGING BY THEIR 07:11 FINGERNAILS AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU WHO ARE IN THE 07:15 CHURCH TO HOLD ON TO THAT PLOW AND NOT LOOK BACK. 07:19 AND THEN THERE ARE SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE MAYBE DRIFTED AWAY - 07:23 WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE, WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE 07:25 WATCHING, AND THE LORD IS CALLING YOU. 07:28 YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE STORIES IN THE BIBLE THAT ALWAYS AMAZED ME 07:31 IS THE STORY OF JONAH. HOW A PROPHET OF GOD - I MEAN, 07:37 YOU'VE GOT TO BE A CHURCH MEMBER TO BE A PROPHET OF GOD - COULD 07:40 THINK YOU COULD RUN FROM GOD. JONAH CHAPTER 1, VERSE 1, "NOW 07:48 THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO JONAH, THE SON OF AMITTAI, 07:52 SAYING, 'ARISE AND GO TO NINEVEH, THAT GREAT CITY, AND 07:56 CRY OUT AGAINST IT; FOR THEIR WICKEDNESS HAS COME UP BEFORE 07:58 ME.' BUT JONAH AROSE TO FLEE TO TARSHISH FROM THE 08:03 PRESENCE OF THE LORD. AND HE WENT DOWN TO JOPPA, 08:06 AND HE FOUND A SHIP GOING TO TARSHISH; SO HE PAID THE FARE, 08:09 AND WENT DOWN INTO IT, TO GO WITH THEM TO TARSHISH FROM THE 08:12 PRESENCE OF THE LORD." JONAH WAS RUNNING FROM THE FATHER. 08:17 GOD SAID FOR HIM TO GO EAST AND HE WENT WEST. 08:22 HOW CAN YOU RUN FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD? 08:24 WHERE CAN I FLEE FROM YOUR SPIRIT? 08:27 IT MIGHT BE SOME OF YOU HERE ARE WATCHING AND YOU THINK THAT GOD 08:33 DOESN'T SEE YOU. THE EYES OF THE LORD RUN TO AND 08:36 FRO THROUGH THE WHOLE EARTH. GOD SEES US WHEREVER WE GO. 08:39 JESUS SAID, 'I'M WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.' YOU CAN'T HIDE 08:42 FROM GOD. AND I HOPE YOU REALIZE THAT THE 08:44 LORD - HE CHASES AFTER THE ONES HE LOVES AND HE WILL MAKE YOU 08:49 RESTLESS UNTIL YOU FIND YOUR REST IN HIM. 08:52 YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY UNTIL YOU SURRENDER TO THE LORD AND TO 08:56 HIS WILL - BECAUSE YOU ARE DESIGNED FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH 08:59 GOD. AND SO, ESPECIALLY THOSE, MAYBE 09:03 WHO HAVE GROWN UP IN THE CHURCH AND NEVER REALLY HAD A PERSONAL 09:05 RELATIONSHIP, THEY'RE STILL LOOKING FOR THAT MEANING AND SO 09:09 THEY TRY TO FIND IT OUT IN THE WORLD. 09:11 AND THEY RUN FROM THEIR FATHER'S HOUSE. 09:14 YOU KNOW, I HEARD AN AMAZING STORY FROM HISTORY ABOUT A 09:18 GENTLEMAN NAMED DOUGLAS CORRIGAN. 09:20 NOW, HE'S FROM AN EARLIER GENERATION - MY FATHER'S ERA - 09:23 MY FATHER WAS A PILOT AND BACK WHEN CHARLES LINDBERGH FLEW THE 09:28 SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, ONE OF THE MECHANICS 09:31 THAT WORKED ON THAT PLANE WAS DOUGLAS CORRIGAN. 09:34 AND CORRIGAN, HE WAS SO INSPIRED BY WHAT LINDBERGH DID, THAT HE 09:39 THOUGHT, 'I WANT TO SET A RECORD.' THIS WAS IN THE AGE 09:41 WHEN EVERYBODY WAS SETTING AVIATION RECORDS. 09:43 HE SAID, 'NO ONE HAS FLOWN FROM AMERICA TO IRELAND YET.' AND 09:46 BEING IRISH HE SAID, 'I'M GOING TO BE THE FIRST.' BUT HE DIDN'T 09:50 HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR A PLANE. WELL, HE WORKED - HE ACTUALLY 09:53 TAUGHT FLYING - HE WAS A GOOD PILOT, HE DID AEROBATIC FLYING 09:56 - YOU'VE HEARD OF BARNSTORMING? HE WAS A BARNSTORMING PILOT AND 10:00 WENT TO THE COUNTY FAIRS AND WAS VERY SKILLED. 10:03 AND FINALLY EARNED ENOUGH MONEY WHERE HE BOUGHT THIS CURTISS 10:07 ROBIN PLANE. AND IT WAS A LITTLE BROKEN DOWN 10:10 BUT HE KIND OF PATCHED IT UP AND HE APPLIED TO WHAT WAS THEN THE 10:12 FAA FOR PERMISSION TO FLY FROM NEW YORK TO IRELAND. 10:16 AND THEY LOOKED AT HIS PLANE AND THEY SAID, 'NO WAY.' THEY SAID, 10:19 'THAT THING WON'T MAKE IT. WE'VE LOST SO MANY PEOPLE 10:21 TRYING.' AND HE KEPT APPLYING AND HE KEPT TRYING AND THEY 10:24 SAID, 'NO CORRIGAN, THAT PLANE IS NOT QUALIFIED. 10:27 WE'RE NOT SURE YOU'RE QUALIFIED - YOU'RE A BARNSTORMING 10:29 AEROBATIC PILOT - YOU'RE TOO RISKY.' WELL, SO YOU KNOW WHAT 10:33 HE DID, HE FLEW FROM LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA TO BROOKLYN, NEW 10:36 YORK, FILLED IT UP WITH FUEL EARLY ONE MORNING, FILED A 10:43 FLIGHT PLAN TO GO BACK TO CALIFORNIA AND WHEN HE TOOK OFF 10:46 IN THE FOG HE CIRCLED AROUND AND HEADED EAST. 10:51 WELL, ABOUT 26 HOURS LATER HE LANDED IN IRELAND. 10:57 AND WHEN HE DID, HE TOLD EVERYBODY, 'MY COMPASS MUST HAVE 11:01 BEEN BROKEN.' HE SAID, 'I GOT LOST IN THE FOG.' AND THEY KEPT 11:08 DRILLING HIM FOR THE TRUTH AND HE SAID, 'IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.' 11:14 OF COURSE, THEY MADE A HERO OUT OF HIM BECAUSE HE WAS THE FIRST 11:16 ONE WHO FLEW TO IRELAND. HE NEARLY DIED ALONG THE WAY. 11:20 HIS PLANE GAS STARTED LEAKING INTO HIS OLD PLANE AND HE HAD TO 11:23 PUNCH A HOLE WITH HIS SCREWDRIVER THROUGH THE FLOOR 11:25 BOARD BECAUSE IT WAS POOLING UP AROUND HIS FEET AND IT NEARLY 11:27 CAUGHT THE EXHAUST ON FIRE - IT WAS JUST ABOVE THE WATER AND 11:30 BARELY MADE IT - BUT HE MADE IT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FROM THEN 11:33 UNTIL NOW HAVE YOU EVER HEARD SOMEONE SAY, 'HE PULLED 11:35 A WRONG-WAY CORRIGAN.'? FOOTBALL PLAYER CATCHES A BALL 11:38 AND GOES THE WRONG WAY UP THE FIELD. 11:40 IT'S BASED ON THIS FELLA WHO WENT - SUPPOSEDLY GOT LOST GOING 11:43 TO L.A. AND ENDED UP IN IRELAND. TYPICALLY, WHEN WE'RE GOING THAT 11:47 FAR IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, IT'S DELIBERATE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN 11:52 LOOKING AT SOME STORIES IN LUKE, CHAPTER 15. 11:55 WE TALKED LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE LOST SHEEP. 12:00 AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS STORY THAT YOU FIND HERE ABOUT - 12:03 IN VERSE 8 - "WHAT WOMAN, HAVING 10 SILVER COINS, IF SHE LOSES 12:07 ONE, DOES NOT LIGHT A CANDLE, AND SWEEP THE HOUSE, AND SEEK 12:10 DILIGENTLY UNTIL SHE FINDS IT. AND WHEN SHE FINDS IT, SHE CALLS 12:14 HER FRIENDS AND HER NEIGHBORS TOGETHER, SAYING, 'REJOICE WITH 12:17 ME, FOR I HAVE FOUND THE PIECE WHICH I LOST!' 12:21 LIKEWISE, I SAY TO YOU, THERE IS JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE 12:23 ANGELS OF GOD OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS." NOW, THE COIN 12:27 DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS LOST. A WOMAN IN BIBLE SYMBOLOGY - DO 12:30 YOU KNOW WHAT IT REPRESENTS? TYPICALLY A CHURCH. 12:34 SOMETIMES IN OUR CHURCHES WE'VE GOT A PRECIOUS LOST COIN AND WE 12:37 MUST MAKE AN EFFORT TO LIGHT THE LAMP OF GOD'S WORD AND TO SWEEP 12:41 WITH THAT DILIGENCE AND LOOK THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND FIND 12:44 THOSE PRECIOUS COINS THAT MAY NOT EVEN KNOW IF THEY'RE LOST. 12:48 THEY USED TO BE IN THE WOMAN'S HOUSE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN 12:52 MISPLACED SOMEHOW. I WONDER HOW MANY CHURCHES HAVE 12:54 SOME PRECIOUS SILVER THAT'S BEEN MISPLACED. AND THEN WE GO TO 12:58 ANOTHER - THE SHEEP, HE WANDERS, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. 13:01 HE JUST GETS LOST - A COIN CERTAINLY DOESN'T KNOW, BUT WHEN 13:03 YOU GET TO THE LAST STORY, IT'S NOT AN ACCIDENT, IT'S DELIBERATE 13:08 DESERTION. THE PRODIGAL SON. 13:12 LUKE 15, VERSE 11, AND THEN JESUS GOES ON AND HE SAYS, "A 13:17 CERTAIN MAN HAD TWO SONS AND THE YOUNGER OF THEM SAYS TO HIS 13:21 FATHER, 'FATHER, GIVE ME THE PORTION OF GOODS THAT FALLS TO 13:24 ME.' SO HE DIVIDED TO THEM HIS LIVELIHOOD. 13:28 AND NOT MANY DAYS AFTER, THE YOUNGER SON GATHERED ALL 13:31 TOGETHER AND HE JOURNEYED TO A FAR COUNTRY AND THERE HE WASTED 13:37 HIS POSSESSIONS WITH PRODIGAL - OR WILD, WASTEFUL - LIVING." YOU 13:43 KNOW, I USED TO THINK WHAT THIS MEANT WAS THE BOY SAID TO HIS 13:47 FATHER, 'YOU KNOW, I'M WAITING FOR YOU TO DIE SO I CAN GET MY 13:49 INHERITANCE, BUT YOU'RE TAKING TOO LONG AND YOUR HEALTH LOOKS 13:52 REALLY GOOD, SO CAN YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, PAY UP NOW.' BUT IT 13:56 WASN'T UNCOMMON IN BIBLE TIMES FOR THE YOUNGER SON - MAYBE, 14:00 ESPECIALLY IF HE WAS ENGAGED - TO GET HIS INHERITANCE TO START 14:04 HIS FAMILY - AT LEAST PART OF IT. 14:06 BUT THE BOY EVIDENTLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MARITAL PROSPECTS AND 14:10 HE DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE UNDER THE FATHER'S THUMB. 14:13 HE EVIDENTLY DIDN'T GET ALONG VERY WELL WITH HIS BROTHER AND 14:16 HE SAID, 'LOOK, I JUST WANT TO GET OUT FROM UNDER DAD'S RULES 14:19 AND REGULATIONS.' THERE WAS SOME TENSION - 'DAD'S TOO STRICT AND 14:23 OLD-FASHIONED.' YOU EVER HEARD THAT? 14:27 BOY, MY MOM AND DAD WERE SO DIFFERENT. 14:31 MY DAD WAS A REPUBLICAN, MY MOTHER WAS A DEMOCRAT. 14:35 MY DAD WAS A REDNECK, MY MOTHER WAS A HIPPIE. 14:39 WHEN I GOT IN TROUBLE MY DAD SAID, 'MILITARY SCHOOL' AND MY 14:42 MOTHER SAID, 'HE NEEDS A FREE SCHOOL WHERE HE CAN EXPLORE AND 14:45 FIND HIMSELF.' AND SO, LIKE THAT PRODIGAL, I RAN AWAY FROM HOME 14:53 SEVERAL TIMES. AND THE LAST TIME, ONCE I RAN 14:59 AWAY LIVING WITH MOM - THREE TIMES I WAS ARRESTED AS A 15:02 RUNAWAY - STARTED WHEN I WAS 13 - LAST TIME I WAS 15 - AND I 15:07 WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM MY DAD'S REGIMENTATION AND RULES AND 15:12 REGULATIONS SO I COULD BE FREE - YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK IS REALLY 15:16 FUNNY IS WHEN THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TELL THEIR PARENTS, 'MOM, DAD, I 15:19 DON'T KNOW HOW TO BREAK THIS TO YOU BUT I'VE JOINED THE MARINES 15:22 BECAUSE I NEED MORE FREEDOM. I WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM MOM 15:29 AND DAD'S RULES.' SO THEY JOINED THE MILITARY. 15:34 AND SO HE SAYS, 'DIVIDE TO ME THE INHERITANCE.' WELL, THE 15:37 FIRST-BORN SON, HE GETS TWO-THIRDS, THE OTHER SON, HE 15:40 GETS ONE-THIRD AND IT DOESN'T TAKE HIM VERY LONG BEFORE HE 15:43 LIQUIDATES WHATEVER ELSE HE'S GOT AND MAYBE HE LEAVES A NOTE, 15:47 MAYBE HE SAYS GOOD-BYE, BUT HE LEAVES. 15:50 AND HE DOESN'T JUST LEAVE FOR THE NEIGHBORING TOWN WHERE 15:52 RUMORS MIGHT GET BACK TO HIS DAD ABOUT WHAT HE'S DOING, BUT HE 15:56 GOES INTO A FAR COUNTRY. HE WANTS TO GET AS FAR AWAY FROM 16:01 THE INFLUENCE OF HIS HOME, AND MAYBE HIS CONSCIENCE, AS HE CAN. 16:05 THE LAST TIME I RAN AWAY FROM HOME I WAS LIVING IN MIAMI BEACH 16:09 WITH MY DAD. I WENT TO CALIFORNIA AND THE 16:13 REASON I STOPPED THERE IS THERE WAS AN OCEAN IN THE WAY 16:17 AND I DIDN'T HAVE A BOAT. I WANTED TO GET AS FAR AWAY AS 16:20 I COULD SO I COULD BE FREE AND DISCOVER MYSELF. 16:26 WELL, I CAN RELATE A LITTLE BIT WITH THIS STORY. 16:29 IT SAYS, "WHILE HE WAS THERE IN THAT FAR COUNTRY" - HE STARTS 16:31 OUT - HE SEEMS TO BE REALLY HAVING A GOOD TIME - HE'S GOT A 16:34 LITTLE SPARE CHANGE, HE'S HAVING FUN WITH HIS FRIENDS, AND HE 16:41 BEGINS TO RUN OUT OF RESOURCES. AFTER I FIRST RAN AWAY I SOLD 16:45 EVERYTHING I HAD TO MY BROTHER, TOOK WHATEVER OTHER MONEY I HAD 16:48 - BY THE TIME I GOT TO ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, I GOT TOGETHER WITH 16:51 SOME PEOPLE PLAYING POOL AND DRINKING AND GAMBLING AND I LOST 16:54 ALL MY MONEY AND I GOT OUT THERE ON THE ROAD WITH NOTHING. 17:00 I CONTINUED HITCHHIKING TO CALIFORNIA. 17:02 WELL, GOD IN HIS PROVIDENCE ALLOWED A FAMINE TO COME. 17:06 YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN WE RUN AWAY FROM HOME, THERE IS A 17:11 PERIOD OF ENJOYMENT AND PLEASURE - YOU'LL HAVE AT LEAST THE 17:15 ILLUSION OF FREEDOM FOR AWHILE - THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THE 17:18 PLEASURES OF SIN FOR A SEASON - AND HE DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF 17:21 A PARTY WITH HIS FRIENDS AND AS LONG AS HE WAS WILLING TO BUY 17:25 THE DRINKS, HE HAD FRIENDS. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WHEN 17:30 YOU'VE GOT MONEY YOU'LL AT LEAST SEEM LIKE YOU'VE GOT 17:33 FRIENDS FOR AWHILE. BUT THEN IT WAS ALL GONE. 17:38 HE WENT TO SWIPE HIS CARD AND THE CASHIER SAID, SORRY, THERE'S 17:44 NOTHING LEFT. HE SAID, 'I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I 17:47 STILL HAVE CHECKS IN MY BOOK. I SHOULD STILL HAVE MONEY.' AND 17:55 THEN THERE - SIMULTANEOUS WITH RUNNING OUT OF MONEY, "THERE 17:58 CAME A FAMINE IN THE LAND AND HE BEGAN TO BE IN WANT." NOW, WHILE 18:01 THAT BOY IS IN THE FAR COUNTRY, WHAT IS THE FATHER DOING? 18:06 HIS HEART IS YEARNING AFTER HIS SON IN THIS FAR COUNTRY. 18:11 HE IS PRAYING FOR HIS SON. I WONDER HOW HE'S PRAYING - 18:15 HOW DO YOU PRAY FOR YOUR KIDS? 'LORD, KEEP THEM SAFE. 18:18 KEEP THEM WELL. WATCH OVER THEM. 18:20 BLESS THEM.' SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT SAY, 'LORD, BRING INTO THEIR 18:25 LIVES WHATEVER THEY NEED TO BE SAVED FOR ETERNITY.' CAN YOU 18:30 THINK OF A TIME IN THE BIBLE WHEN THERE WAS A PROPHET WHO NOT 18:33 JUST PRAYED FOR BLESSING BUT HE PRAYED, ACTUALLY, THAT GOD WOULD 18:36 SEND A FAMINE? THE BIBLE TELLS US IN THE BOOK 18:39 OF JAMES THAT ELIJAH WAS A MAN SUBJECT TO LIKE PASSIONS AS YOU 18:42 AND ME AND HE PRAYED THAT IT WOULDN'T RAIN. 18:45 HE PRAYED IN ORDER TO BRING THE PEOPLE BACK TO GOD THAT GOD 18:48 WOULD ACTUALLY WITHDRAW THE RAIN BECAUSE THEY WERE GIVING CREDIT 18:52 TO A FALSE GOD. AND IT TOOK TROUBLE FOR THEM TO 18:57 TURN BACK TO GOD. HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK OF JUDGES? 19:01 IT TALKS ABOUT WHENEVER THEY WERE DOING WELL THEY WOULD 19:03 FORGET THE LORD AND THEN GOD WOULD WITHDRAW HIS PROTECTION 19:05 AND THERE WOULD BE TROUBLE AND THEY'D TURN BACK TO GOD. 19:09 AND SO, WHEN YOU'RE PRAYING FOR THE SALVATION OF THE ONES YOU 19:11 LOVE, DON'T PRAY THAT GOD SENDS THEM TROUBLE, NECESSARILY, BUT 19:14 YOU PRAY HE SENDS THEM WHATEVER THEY NEED TO BE SAVED FOR 19:18 ETERNITY. IF YOU'RE PRAYING THAT GOD JUST 19:22 BLESSES THEM AND MAKES THEM COMFORTABLE ON THEIR WAY TO 19:25 DESTRUCTION ARE YOU REALLY HELPING THEM? 19:28 AND SO, MAYBE THAT DAD WAS PRAYING AND A FAMINE CAME TO 19:31 THAT COUNTRY AND HE HAD NOTHING TO EAT. 19:36 MAYBE ONE OF HIS FORMER BAR BUDDIES IS THE ONE WHO HAD THE 19:39 PIG FARM AND IT SAYS IN VERSE 15, "AND HE WENT AND HE JOINED 19:43 HIMSELF TO A CITIZEN OF THAT COUNTRY AND HE SENT HIM INTO THE 19:47 FIELDS TO FEED SWINE. NOW, KEEP IN MIND, YOU'VE GOT 19:51 JESUS, A JEWISH RABBI, WHO IS TALKING TO JEWISH LISTENERS 19:56 ABOUT THIS JEWISH BOY THAT GOES INTO A FAR COUNTRY AND HE ENDS 20:00 UP TENDING SOMEONE ELSE'S PORK CHOPS. 20:03 THAT WAS AS LOW AS YOU COULD GET. 20:06 IN THE BIBLE, IF YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT REACHING THE BOTTOM - 20:09 JESUS SAID 'YOU DON'T GIVE THAT WHICH IS HOLY TO THE DOGS AND 20:12 YOU DON'T CAST YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.' YOU KNOW, IT'S 20:18 AMAZING THAT YOU STAY AWAY FROM THE FATHER'S HOUSE VERY LONG, 20:23 YOU CAN FORGET EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED AND END UP IN THE 20:25 DUMPSTER. MY DAD WAS VERY WELL OFF, HAD A 20:31 NICE HOME - A MANSION, BUTLER, MAID, WE ATE WITH REAL 20:37 SILVERWARE THAT WAS REALLY SILVER. YOU KNOW, I CALL PLASTIC 20:42 SILVERWARE NOW. IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER. 20:48 BUT, WHEN I STARTED LIVING ON THE STREETS AND HANGING AROUND 20:52 WITH THE WRONG CROWD, PRETTY SOON, YOU START IMITATING THE 20:56 PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE HANGING AROUND WITH. AND I WAS LIVING 21:00 WITH STREET PEOPLE - IS REALLY - THAT'S WHAT WE WERE. AND THEY'D 21:04 SLEEP ON THE STREETS OR WHEREVER THEY COULD. I HAD THIS ONE 21:07 FRIEND, HIS NAME WAS LITTLE RITCHIE - HE WAS VERY SHORT - HE 21:11 WAS JUST UNDER 5-FEET, I THINK, AND HE HAD HAD RICKETS WHEN HE 21:16 WAS YOUNG OR SOMETHING AND HE JUST NEVER GREW. 21:18 AND AT NIGHT HE WOULD CRAWL INTO THE GOODWILL BOX AND SLEEP - YOU 21:22 KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD MAKE CLOTHING DONATIONS AND HE - IT WAS A 21:24 GREAT BED - IT KEPT HIM WARM AT NIGHT AND HE'D SLEEP THERE. 21:27 BUT I REMEMBER HIM TELLING ME ONE MORNING VERY EARLY SOMEONE 21:30 MADE A DONATION OF POTS AND PANS WHILE HE WAS IN THE BOX. 21:36 AND I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN THEIR FACES WHEN HE STARTED 21:38 SHOUTING. 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' 21:42 BUT THESE ARE THE - OH, THESE PEOPLE I WAS HANGING OUT WITH - 21:44 YOU KNOW, WE SLEPT IN ABANDONED BUILDINGS, I WAS LIVING IN THE 21:47 MOUNTAINS IN A CAVE MOST OF THE TIME, BUT SOME OF MY FRIENDS 21:52 WERE SHOWING ME THE SECRETS OF DINING IN THE DUMPSTER. 21:58 AND WHEN I FIRST REALIZED THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE GETTING FOOD 22:00 OUT OF A GARBAGE CAN, I THOUGHT THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY REVOLTING. 22:04 BUT I WATCHED - I WAS INTRIGUED - FROM A DISTANCE. 22:10 AND I THOUGHT, 'REALLY? YOU'RE KIDDING ME. 22:13 YOU GET FOOD OUT OF A GARBAGE CAN? AND YOU EAT IT?' 'AW MAN, 22:16 THERE'S GOOD STUFF IN HERE. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT CANS 22:18 THEY'RE JUST DENTED, THEY'RE FINE. 22:19 WHEN YOU OPEN THEM UP, YOU STILL HEAR THEM POP - THEY'RE GOOD.' 22:23 AND, YOU KNOW, 'THESE BANANAS, THE PEEL'S STILL GOOD - A LITTLE 22:25 BROWN, THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE SWEET.' AND THEY WERE TELLING ME 22:27 ALL THE - YOU KNOW, THE FINER SECRETS OF DUMPSTER CUISINE. 22:34 THAT'S A LITTLE TOO MUCH INFORMATION, BUT I NOTICED WHAT 22:38 HAPPENED TO ME IS I KEPT HANGING AROUND WITH THESE PEOPLE AND 22:42 PRETTY SOON I'D GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE DUMPSTER, YOU 22:45 KNOW, I'D MAKE SURE THERE'S NO WITNESSES BECAUSE THAT'S NOT 22:48 WHERE WE GOT OUR GROCERIES WHEN I GREW UP. AND, BUT IT GOT 22:52 EASIER AND EASIER FOR ME TO GET CLOSER AND CLOSER UNTIL PRETTY 22:57 SOON I WOULD JOIN THEM IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY. 23:01 I'D SAY, 'OVER THERE, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S STILL GOOD. 23:05 THAT BREAD'S STILL IN THE WRAPPER.' AND THEN I GOT TO 23:07 WHERE I WOULD REACH OVER THE SIDE - IT SMELLS AWFUL - BUT, 23:11 YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING WAS STILL IN THE CONTAINER I FIGURED IT 23:12 HASN'T BEEN HERE LONG, IT'S PROBABLY SAFE. 23:14 IF YOU GET HUNGRY ENOUGH, YOU'D BE SURPRISED. 23:18 YOU'LL EAT JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IF YOU GET HUNGRY ENOUGH. 23:22 BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN HUNGRY ENOUGH TO EAT BEETS. 23:26 OTHER THAN THAT FIRST TIME I TRIED THEM. 23:30 AND THEN, PRETTY SOON, I WAS CLIMBING OVER THE EDGE WITH THE 23:33 BEST OF THEM AND ROOTING AROUND IN A DUMPSTER. 23:38 AND MY GRANDPARENTS HEARD ABOUT THIS - THEY LIVED NOT FAR AWAY 23:42 IN DESERT HOT SPRINGS AND THEY TOLD MY FATHER, 'DID YOU KNOW 23:44 DOUGIE IS GETTING FOOD OUT OF THE GARBAGE CAN BEHIND THE 23:47 MARKET?' AND HERE MY FATHER LIVED IN A MANSION. 23:51 HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MADE MY FATHER FEEL WHEN, YOU KNOW, HE 23:56 GREW UP DURING THE DEPRESSION, WAS A PILOT IN WORLD WAR II, WAS 24:01 PART OF THAT GENERATION - WORKED HARD SO HIS KIDS WOULD NEVER 24:03 SUFFER AND HE TRIES TO RAISE THEM WITH THE BEST EDUCATION, 24:06 BEST OPPORTUNITY AND THEN HE HEARS MY SON IS GETTING FOOD OUT 24:10 OF A GARBAGE CAN. HOW DO YOU THINK OUR HEAVENLY 24:15 FATHER FEELS WHEN, AFTER HE HAS PAID SO MUCH THAT YOU MIGHT LIVE 24:19 IN A MANSION SOMEDAY, THAT WE GO TO THE GARBAGE OF THE DEVIL'S 24:23 DUMPSTER FOR HAPPINESS? IT BREAKS HIS HEART. 24:28 AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET SICK DOING THAT. 24:32 I HAD A FRIEND - FOUND A GREAT BIG OLE BLOCK OF CHEESE IN THE 24:36 DUMPSTER - AND EVEN THOUGH THE CHEESE MAY HAVE BEEN GOOD, YOU 24:38 KNOW, YOU'LL GET SICK IF YOU EAT THREE POUNDS OF CHEESE. 24:46 SO, HE WAS OUT THERE FEEDING THE PIGS AND HE WAS SO HUNGRY THAT 24:51 HE WANTED TO EAT THE HUSKS THAT THE PIGS WERE REJECTING. 24:57 YOU'VE GOT TO BE PRETTY HUNGRY AT A TIME LIKE THAT. 24:59 AND EVEN THOUGH HE WAS BECOMING EMACIATED, IT SAYS, 'NO ONE GAVE 25:03 HIM ANYTHING.' THE WORLD CANNOT SATISFY WHAT YOU REALLY NEED. 25:09 THE WORLD WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SATISFY THAT REAL HUNGER - THAT 25:13 HUNGER FOR THE BREAD OF LIFE IS ONLY GOING TO COME FROM THE 25:15 FATHER'S HOUSE. AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE 25:17 THAT ARE GOING FROM ONE THING TO THE NEXT SO THEY'RE GETTING 25:20 DEEPER AND DEEPER IN ADDICTIONS AND THEY KEEP HAVING TO UP THEIR 25:24 PRESCRIPTION BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME KIND OF 25:27 PEACE AND SATISFACTION. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BE 25:29 SATISFIED, IN THIS LIFE, WITHOUT JESUS. 25:34 AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND HIM IN CHURCH - IN SPITE OF THE PEOPLE 25:37 THAT MAY BE THERE WITH THEIR PROBLEMS, IN SPITE OF ALL THE 25:39 FLAWS AND THE WRINKLES AND THE DIFFICULTIES, THE CHURCH IS THE 25:44 OBJECT ON EARTH UPON WHICH GOD BESTOWS HIS SUPREME REGARD, IT 25:48 IS THE APPLE OF HIS EYE, IT IS THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM 25:52 HE DIED AND HE WANTS YOU IN THAT GROUP. 25:57 IT IS THE CRUCIBLE WHERE WE LEARN TO BE LIKE CHRIST. 26:03 SO, WHILE HE WAS OUT THERE WITH THE PIGS, HE STARTED TO THINK 26:07 ABOUT WHEN THEY USED TO GET THE FRESH BREAD OUT OF THE OVEN AT 26:11 HOME AND ALL THE THINGS HE HAD TAKEN FOR GRANTED IN HIS 26:15 FATHER'S HOUSE. HE CAME TO HIMSELF. 26:20 IT'S LIKE HE WOKE UP ONE DAY AND SAID, 'WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I 26:22 DOING?' HE WENT TO WORK AND HE SMELLED 26:25 THE PIGS AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME AND - I DON'T KNOW IF 26:29 YOU'VE EVER TAKEN CARE OF PIGS - I HAVE. 26:33 I HAD SOME NEIGHBORS THAT HAD A LITTLE FARM AND THEY'D GO ON 26:35 VACATION AND ASK US TO MILK THE COWS AND FEED THE PIGS - I 26:38 DIDN'T MIND MILKING THE COWS SO MUCH, BUT THE ONLY WORD I CAN 26:41 THINK OF TO DESCRIBE PIGS IS TO TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE PIGS! 26:46 AND THEY SMELL AWFUL AND THEY HAVE REALLY BAD HABITS. 26:52 AND HE, ONE DAY, WENT BACK TO WORK AND THOUGHT 'WHAT IN THE 26:54 WORLD AM I DOING HERE? I AM A JEWISH BOY FEEDING PIGS!' 27:01 HE HAD AN EPIPHANY. HE SAID, 'HERE MY FATHER HAS GOT 27:04 SERVANTS, HE'S GOT SILOS FULL OF FOOD. 27:09 THERE IS BREAD IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE. 27:11 WHAT AM I DOING HERE?' AND HE CAME TO HIS SENSES. 27:16 THAT'S KIND OF LIKE - SIN WILL MAKE YOU CRAZY. 27:19 REALLY. IT'S LIKE NEBUCHADNEZZAR, HE WAS 27:22 SO FULL OF PRIDE, NEXT THING YOU KNEW HE WAS OUT OF HIS MIND. 27:25 AND IT TOOK SEVEN YEARS FOR HIM TO WAKE UP AND COME TO HIMSELF 27:28 AND THE FIRST THING THAT CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH WHEN HE CAME TO 27:30 HIMSELF WAS, 'I PRAISE THE GOD IN HEAVEN.' BECAUSE UNLESS GOD 27:35 IS YOUR PRIORITY, YOU'RE NOT THINKING STRAIGHT. 27:39 REALLY. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE MOSES BEFORE 27:41 THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ENTERED THE PROMISED LAND. 27:44 HIS CLOSING SERMON HE SAID, 'LET ME MAKE IT PLAIN.' NO, I PUT 27:47 THAT IN, BUT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT HE SAID. 27:50 HE SAID, 'I AM SETTING BEFORE YOU, THIS DAY, LIFE AND GOOD AND 27:53 BLESSING OR DEATH AND EVIL AND CURSING. 27:56 WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT?' NOW, WHEN YOU PUT IT THAT WAY, 28:00 WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU WANT? DO YOU WANT THE LIFE AND 28:02 GOOD AND BLESSING OF BEING A CHRISTIAN AND IN THE CHURCH? 28:05 IN SPITE OF THE PROBLEMS IT'S A LOT BETTER THAN BEING OUT HERE 28:09 WHERE THERE'S THE DEATH AND THE EVIL AND THE CURSING. 28:12 AND THAT'S WHY JESUS IS WANTING TO BLESS YOU. 28:16 HE BEGINS HIS SERMON WITH BEATITUDES BECAUSE HE WANTS TO 28:19 BLESS HIS PEOPLE. THERE IS NO HAPPINESS OUTSIDE OF 28:22 THE FATHER'S HOUSE AND NO ONE GAVE HIM ANYTHING. 28:27 FINALLY HE CAME TO HIS SENSES AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, HOW MANY 28:31 OF MY FATHER'S HIRED SERVANTS HAVE BREAD ENOUGH AND TO SPARE? 28:35 THEY'VE GOT EXTRA, THEY EAT TO THE FULL.' YOU KNOW, WHENEVER 28:38 JESUS FED PEOPLE IT SAYS THEY HAD LEFTOVERS. 28:41 HE'D MULTIPLY THE BREAD AND THERE WERE LEFTOVERS. 28:45 ELISHA BLESSED THE VESSEL OF OIL THERE IN 2 KINGS, CHAPTER 4 AND 28:51 THE WOMAN POURED IT AND IT JUST WAS OVERFLOWING. 28:56 GOD BLESSES WITH AN ABUNDANCE AND HERE HE WAS WANTING TO EAT 29:01 THE HUSKS - THE SEED PODS THAT THE PIGS WERE SNORTING THROUGH. 29:05 THEY'VE GOT FOOD TO SPARE. JESUS IS WANTING TO GIVE 29:10 YOU THAT BREAD OF LIFE. "AND I PERISH WITH HUNGER." YOU 29:15 KNOW, JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD, VERY SIMPLY, JOHN 3:16, HE CAME 29:19 INTO THE WORLD THAT YOU MIGHT NOT PERISH. 29:22 AND IF YOU'RE NOT EATING THE BREAD OF LIFE AT LEAST EVERY 29:26 WEEK - YOU SHOULD BE EVERY DAY - YOU WILL SURELY PERISH. 29:30 YOU'RE GOING TO BE STARVING. 29:33 YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST DAYS, THE BIBLE FORETELLS THERE'S GOING TO 29:35 BE A FAMINE IN THE LAND AND IT'S 'NOT A FAMINE FOR BREAD OR A 29:40 THIRST FOR WATER' - THIS IS AMOS CHAPTER 8 - 'BUT FOR HEARING THE 29:43 WORD OF GOD.' AND I THINK YOU MIGHT EVEN FIND A FAMINE, 29:47 SOMETIMES, AMONG RELIGIOUS PEOPLE - BECAUSE THERE ARE SO 29:51 MANY COUNTERFEIT VERSIONS OF THE WORD OF GOD. 29:53 PEOPLE WILL READ ONE LITTLE VERSE AND THEN THEY'LL TALK 29:55 ABOUT THE LATEST MAGAZINE ARTICLES. PEOPLE NEED TO REALLY 29:59 GET INTO THE GRIST OF GOD'S WORD. THERE'S AN ABUNDANCE OF 30:03 TRUTH IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE 'AND I PERISH WITH HUNGER.' YOU KNOW, 30:08 IT'S INTERESTING WHEN THEY WOKE UP JONAH WHEN HE WAS RUNNING 30:12 FROM GOD - OH, BY THE WAY, GOING BACK TO JONAH - MY MIND BOUNCES 30:17 AROUND LIKE THAT - IT'S BECAUSE I USED DRUGS WHEN I WAS YOUNG, 30:19 SO YOU JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. 30:22 GOING BACK TO JONAH, WHEN HE WAS ASLEEP IN THE BOAT ON THE WAY TO 30:25 DESTRUCTION, GOD SENT A STORM TO SAVE HIM. 30:31 AND THE LORD SENT A FAMINE TO SAVE THAT BOY. 30:35 AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE CHURCH, YOU'VE 30:37 BEEN GOING THROUGH SOME TRIALS AND WONDERING 'WHY IS THIS 30:39 HAPPENING?' AND IT COULD BE BECAUSE GOD 30:40 LOVES YOU AND HE'S TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION. 30:45 SOMETIMES IT TAKES A CRISIS AND IT MIGHT BE A CRISIS IN YOUR 30:48 MARRIAGE. IT COULD BE A CRISIS WITH YOUR 30:50 HEALTH OR WORK, AND GOD IS SAYING, 'HELLO. 30:55 CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?' 30:59 AND WHEN THE CAPTAIN WOKE UP JONAH, YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAID? 31:02 'ARISE O SLEEPER. CAREST NOT THAT WE PERISH?' 31:08 JESUS WAS ONCE ASLEEP IN A BOAT DURING A STORM AND THEY WOKE HIM 31:10 UP AND THEY ASKED JESUS THE DUMBEST QUESTION IN THE WORLD. 31:14 THEY SAID, 'MASTER, CAREST NOT THAT WE PERISH?' 31:19 DOES JESUS CARE WHETHER OR NOT WE PERISH? 31:23 WHY DID HE COME INTO THIS WORLD? THAT WE MIGHT NOT PERISH. 31:29 AND IF YOU'VE GOT JESUS IN YOUR BOAT, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT 31:31 FRIENDS. HE SAID, 'I PERISH WITH HUNGER, 31:35 I WILL ARISE.' GOD TOLD JONAH, 'ARISE AND GO.' FINALLY HE SAID, 31:40 'I WILL ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER AND I'LL SAY TO HIM, 31:45 'FATHER' - HE'S GOT HIS SPEECH PREPARED - HOW CAN I WALK BACK 31:47 AND TALK TO DAD AFTER WHAT I'VE DONE? 31:50 HERE I BASICALLY WAS SO RUDE, DISRESPECTFUL, DIDN'T HONOR HIM, 31:54 ASKED FOR MY INHERITANCE EARLY? 31:56 AND THEN I TOOK IT AND I'M COMING BACK WITH NOTHING TO SHOW 31:58 FOR IT - HE WORKED FOR YEARS TO GET ALL THAT.' YOU NOTICE THE 32:02 BOY - EARLIER HE WANTED HIS FATHER BUT HE DIDN'T WANT A 32:05 RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER - I'M SORRY, HE WANTED HIS 32:07 FATHER'S BLESSINGS - HE WANTED HIS FATHER'S RESOURCES, BUT HE 32:11 DIDN'T WANT THE FATHER. NOW, I THINK EVERYBODY HERE 32:16 WANTS GOD'S BLESSINGS. THERE ARE WHOLE CHURCHES THAT 32:19 ARE BUILT AROUND 'THE REASON THAT GOD EXISTS IS JUST TO BE A 32:23 FUNNEL OF BLESSINGS FOR YOU.' REALLY, WE EXIST FOR 32:27 THE GLORY OF GOD. AND THE SECRET OF LIFE IS NOT, 32:31 ULTIMATELY, YOUR HAPPINESS, IT'S YOUR HOLINESS. 32:35 BUT YOUR HOLINESS WILL LEAD TO HAPPINESS. 32:38 AND BY THE WAY, JESUS SAID IT'S MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN 32:40 RECEIVE AND THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY FOR YOU TO BE BLESSED IS TO 32:43 GIVE YOUR HEART THEN YOU RECEIVE THE GREATEST BLESSING. 32:48 THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO EVER BE HAPPY IS BY GIVING 32:51 YOUR LIFE TO JESUS. 'I'M GOING TO ARISE AND GO TO MY 32:54 FATHER'S HOUSE.' HE'S THINKING ABOUT 'HOW DO I EVER FACE HIM 32:57 AGAIN AFTER WHAT I'VE DONE?' YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T UNTIL YEARS 33:00 LATER I WAS TALKING TO MY DAD THAT I REALIZED, YOU KNOW, I HAD 33:07 AN OLDER BROTHER THAT WAS SICK AND I WAS THE 33:10 YOUNG, HEALTHY ONE. MY BROTHER USED TO ALWAYS SAY, 33:15 'LIFE IS NOT FAIR.' MY BROTHER HAD CYSTIC FIBROSIS. 33:18 HE SAID, 'DOUG, HERE I'M SMART BUT I'M SICK AND YOU'RE HEALTHY 33:21 BUT YOU'RE STUPID.' BROTHERS CAN TALK THAT WAY TO EACH OTHER. 33:28 AND WHEN HERE I WAS THE BABY OF THE FAMILY AND I RAN AWAY AT 15 33:33 AND I NEVER CALLED MY DAD, SOMETIMES FOR MONTHS, AND ALL HE 33:36 KNEW IS I WAS LIVING UP IN THE MOUNTAINS BY MYSELF. 33:41 AND I HAD NO IDEA HOW HURT HE WAS ABOUT THAT UNTIL SOMETIMES - 33:44 IT WAS LIKE 20 YEARS LATER I WAS TALKING TO HIM AND THIS FLURRY 33:49 OF EMOTION CAME OUT. HE SAID, 'ALL THOSE MONTHS WHEN 33:54 WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE YOU WERE. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WERE 33:56 DEAD OR ALIVE.' AND IT FINALLY DAWNED ON ME, 'BOY, YOU KNOW, 34:01 NOW I'M A PARENT I GET AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH THAT REALLY HURT 34:04 HIM.' SO THIS BOY'S HEADING HOME AND HE'S THINKING, 'HOW CAN I 34:07 EVER FACE HIM AGAIN AFTER WHAT I'VE DONE? 34:10 I'LL GO AND HERE'S WHAT I'LL SAY. I HAVE TO CONFESS. 34:15 FATHER, I HAVE SINNED' - BY THE WAY, YOU MUST CONFESS WHEN YOU 34:19 COME TO GOD. DON'T BE AFRAID. DOES HE KNOW ANYWAY? 34:23 OH, YOU'LL FEEL BETTER IF YOU CONFESS. 34:24 HE ALREADY KNOWS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SHOCK HIM. 34:29 ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU DO IS YOU REPENT. 34:31 TELL GOD YOU'RE SORRY AND CONFESS YOUR SINS AND AS SOON AS 34:34 YOU DO THAT, YOU GIVE HIM PERMISSION TO RELEASE THE POWER 34:37 OF HIS SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE. 'AND I'LL SAY, 'FATHER I HAVE 34:41 SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN AND BEFORE YOU. I AM NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE 34:44 CALLED YOUR SON.' WHO'S WORTHY TO BE A SON OF GOD? 34:49 THAT'S WHY JOHN TELLS US IN 1 JOHN CHAPTER 3, 'BEHOLD WHAT 34:53 MANNER OF LOVE THAT THE FATHER'S BESTOWED ON US.' HE CAN'T EVEN 34:56 EXPLAIN IT, HE SAYS, 'JUST BEHOLD IT - THAT WE SHOULD BE 35:00 CALLED SONS OF GOD.' HE'S WILLING TO GIVE US A NEW NAME 35:03 AND BRING US BACK INTO THE FAMILY WITH THE FULL STATURE OF 35:07 BEING SONS. I'M NOT WORTHY. WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES US WORTHY? 35:13 IT'S ONLY GOD'S GRACE AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. 35:17 'I'M NOT WORTHY TO BE CALLED YOUR SON, MAKE ME ONE OF YOUR 35:20 HIRED SERVANTS.' NOW, THAT IS THE ATTITUDE THAT WE ALL NEED 35:23 WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE FATHER. 'LORD, I'M WILLING TO 35:25 COME AND SERVE YOU. I DON'T DESERVE TO BE YOUR SON. 35:30 I'LL BE HAPPY AS YOUR SERVANT. AND SO, HE BEGINS HIS JOURNEY 35:35 HOME. HE AROSE AND HE CAME TO HIS FATHER AND IT TOOK A LONG 35:40 WAY FOR HIM TO PLOD. HE PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY 35:43 SPARE FOOD IN HIS BACKPACK - HAD TO BEG ALONG THE WAY. 35:47 BUT HE WAS SHOCKED AS HE STARTED GETTING NEAR THE FAMILY FARM, 35:53 WHILE HE WAS STILL A GREAT WAY OFF COMING OVER THE HILL AND THE 35:57 SILHOUETTE OF HIS FORM THERE IS SEEN HOBBLING ALONG. 36:02 AS SOON AS THE FATHER SPIES HIM HE RUNS TO MEET HIM. 36:09 HE DOESN'T MAKE HIM WAIT - YOU KNOW, SOME OF US, I THINK, WE'D 36:12 SAY, 'WELL, I TOLD YOU YOU'D BE COMING DRAGGING BACK.' ARMS 36:16 FOLDED ON THE FRONT PORCH TAPPING OUR FOOT LOOKING THE 36:18 OTHER WAY. AND SAY, 'ALL RIGHT. 36:22 WAS I RIGHT OR WAS I RIGHT?' THAT'S WHAT I'D PROBABLY DO. 36:28 WE'VE GOT THAT SPEECH, 'I TOLD YOU SO.' OR WE'D MAKE THAT 36:34 STATEMENT IN FRONT OF THE SPOUSE. 36:35 'DIDN'T I TELL YOU THAT HE'D' - BUT NOT THIS FATHER. 36:39 HE CAN'T EVEN WAIT FOR HIM TO COME HOME. 36:43 SO THAT HE WON'T BE LEFT WITH ANY DOUBT OF HIS ACCEPTANCE, HE 36:45 ARISES AND HE RUNS TO MEET HIM. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PROMISE IN 36:49 THE BIBLE, IT SAYS, 'YOU DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW 36:54 NEAR TO YOU.' OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS SO ANXIOUS FOR US TO 36:58 BE SAVED - THAT MEANS THAT AS SOON AS WE TAKE SOME STEPS AND 37:02 WE BEGIN TO MOVE TOWARDS GOD AND HE SEES US MAKING AN EFFORT TO 37:07 COME TO HIM, WHAT DOES HE DO? HE WILL RUN TO MEET US. 37:12 NOW, HOW COME THAT FATHER DIDN'T SEND OUT BOUNTY HUNTERS TO FIND 37:18 THE SON WHEN HE FIRST WENT AWAY FROM HOME? 37:22 CAN YOU FORCE SOMEONE TO LOVE YOU? AND, YOU KNOW, OUR FATHER 37:26 IN HEAVEN CAN'T FORCE YOU TO COME HOME. 37:29 HE'S NOT GOING TO FORCE YOU TO COME BACK TO CHURCH. 37:31 YOU'VE GOT TO COME TO YOUR SENSES AND TAKE THOSE FIRST 37:33 STEPS AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THIS IS WHERE I'M 37:36 SUPPOSED TO BE. THERE'S BREAD IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE. 37:40 AND AS YOU COME, AS SOON AS YOU MAKE THAT FIRST STEP, YOU DRAW 37:44 NEAR TO GOD, HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A 37:48 NUMBER OF SCRIPTURES THAT ARE ON THAT LINE. 37:56 FIRST YOU COME AND YOU COME CONFESSING - JEREMIAH CHAPTER 3, 38:00 VERSE 14, "'ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR INIQUITY THAT YOU'VE 38:03 TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THE LORD YOUR GOD. 38:06 THAT YOU'VE NOT OBEYED MY VOICE' SAYS THE LORD." HE'S PLEADING 38:09 WITH ISRAEL HERE, HE SAYS, "'RETURN O BACKSLIDING CHILDREN' 38:12 SAYS THE LORD, 'FOR I AM MARRIED TO YOU.'" YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY 38:17 HERE IN JEREMIAH, BUT IN THE BOOK OF HOSEA, GOD NOT ONLY 38:20 COMPARES IT TO A FATHER AND A SON, BUT HE COMPARES IT TO A 38:22 HUSBAND AND A WIFE, AND HE SAYS, 'YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE 38:26 BEEN UNFAITHFUL, EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE GONE AFTER OTHER GODS, I 38:30 LOVE YOU SO MUCH THAT I'LL STILL TAKE YOU BACK.' THAT TAKES A LOT 38:35 OF LOVE BECAUSE, I'LL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST 38:39 DIFFICULT THINGS TO DEAL WITH IS WHEN THERE'S BEEN INFIDELITY IN 38:43 A MARRIAGE. SOME PEOPLE FOLD THEIR ARMS 38:46 AND STOMP THEIR FOOT AND SAY, 'THAT'S THE END!' 38:49 BUT GOD'S LOVE IS SO INCREDIBLE THAT HE SAYS TO HIS PEOPLE, 38:53 'EVEN AFTER YOU HAVE SPURNED MY LOVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE, RETURN 38:57 TO ME.' HE SAYS TO HIS PEOPLE, "'RETURN O BACKSLIDING CHILDREN' 39:02 SAYS THE LORD, 'FOR I'M MARRIED TO YOU.'" AND AGAIN, IN VERSE 39:04 22, "RETURN YOU BACKSLIDING CHILDREN AND I WILL HEAL YOUR 39:09 BACKSLIDING." YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT THE STORY IN THE BIBLE 39:16 WHERE JACOB RAN AWAY FROM HOME, HE LEFT THE FATHER'S HOUSE AND 39:20 THEN HE COMES HOME, BUT IT'S SORT OF DIFFERENT BECAUSE JACOB 39:23 LEAVES POOR AND HE COMES BACK RICH. 39:27 THIS BOY LEAVES RICH AND HE COMES BACK POOR. 39:31 AND THE LORD STILL RECEIVES HIM. 39:35 YOU KNOW ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES IN THE BIBLE - MATTER OF 39:37 FACT, I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EVER READ IT WITHOUT HAVING MY EYES 39:40 PUDDLE UP - IS THE STORY OF JOSEPH OCCUPIES THE LATTER HALF 39:43 OF GENESIS AND JACOB'S SUPREME LOVE WAS FOR RACHEL AND THE 39:51 FIRST SON OF RACHEL - SHE COULDN'T HAVE A BABY FOR YEARS - 39:53 WAS THIS PROMISED BOY NAMED JOSEPH AND HE JUST LAVISHED SO 39:56 MUCH LOVE ON JOSEPH - HE LOVED HIM MORE THAN ANY FATHER SHOULD 39:59 PROBABLY LOVE A SON. IN FRONT OF ALL HIS BROTHERS 40:02 HE GIVES HIM THIS ROBE OF MANY COLORS AND JUST INDULGES HIM. 40:07 AND THEN HIS BROTHERS ARE JEALOUS AND SO THEY SELL JOSEPH. 40:14 FATHER THINKS HE'S BEEN KILLED. CARRIED OFF AS A SLAVE TO 40:19 ANOTHER LAND. ENDS UP NOT ONLY BEING A SLAVE 40:21 BUT BEING A PRISONER - AND YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE STORY THERE 40:23 OF JOSEPH AND HIS TRIALS - AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HOW HE GOES FROM 40:25 THE PRISON TO THE PALACE IN ONE DAY. 40:28 AND THEN FINALLY HE REVEALS HIMSELF TO HIS BROTHERS - THAT 40:32 HE'S ALIVE. AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE 40:34 FINALLY SAYS WEEPING? HE SAYS, 'IS MY FATHER ALIVE?' 40:39 HIS HEART WAS BREAKING TO BE REUNITED WITH HIS FATHER. 40:42 AND HE SENDS AN ARMY ALONG WITH HIS BROTHERS BACK AND HE SAYS, 40:46 'BRING MY FATHER.' AND YOU'VE GOT THAT PICTURE IN THE BIBLE 40:50 FINALLY, WHEN JACOB REALIZES HIS SON IS ALIVE AND YOU CAN JUST 40:56 PICTURE JOSEPH GETTING OUT OF HIS GILDED CHARIOT AND JACOB 40:59 GETTING OFF OF HIS WAGON AND EMBRACING AND SOBBING AND 41:04 HUGGING EACH OTHER. IT SAYS THEY FELL ON ONE ANOTHER 41:08 AND THEY KISSED THE NECK. AND JUST THE JOY 41:12 OF THAT REUNION. HOW ANXIOUS IS GOD TO BE REUNITED WITH YOU? 41:18 YOU THINK THAT GOD'S MAD AT YOU? SIN WILL DESTROY YOU. 41:22 IT'S NOT BECAUSE GOD DOESN'T LOVE YOU, IT'S THE NATURE OF 41:23 SIN. GOD DOESN'T NEED TO BE MAD AT 41:26 YOU. SIN, IT JUST SELF-DESTRUCTS. 41:30 AND THAT'S WHY TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. 41:32 THE LONGER THAT WE WAIT TO COME BACK TO THE FATHER'S HOUSE - 41:37 WE'RE LIVING A VERY RISKY LIFE THAT WE'RE GOING TO STARVE OR 41:42 END UP LIKE THE PIGS THAT WE LIVE WITH. 41:45 YOU KNOW, YOU CAN COME TO YOUR SENSES AND WAKE UP AND HAVE AN 41:48 EPIPHANY AND SAY, 'I NEED TO ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER.' WHEN 41:51 YOU REALIZE THAT, YOU NEED TO ACT ON IT. 41:54 IT IS DANGEROUS FOR YOU TO THINK THAT YOU CAN PLAY WITH THE GIFT 41:57 OF REPENTANCE AND THAT IT WILL COME LATER AT YOUR CALL. 42:01 GOD TELLS US IN ACTS CHAPTER 2, REPENTANCE IS EVEN A GIFT. 42:05 AND SO THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU'VE GOT THAT YOU NEED TO COME 42:07 BACK TO CHURCH, YOU NEED TO ACT ON IT WHEN YOU GET IT BECAUSE 42:11 THAT'S A GIFT OF GOD. GOD IS CALLING YOU. 42:13 AND THE LONGER THAT WE SAY NO TO THE FATHER'S SPEAKING TO US AND 42:17 THROUGH HIS SPIRIT WOOING US, THE VOLUME CAN GET LOWER AND 42:21 LOWER - IT CAN BE DROWNED OUT BY ALL THE OTHER BACKGROUND NOISE 42:24 SO THAT YOU CAN GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU DON'T HEAR IT ANYMORE. 42:28 AND SO, IF YOU HEAR THE FATHER CALLING YOU, IF YOU KNOW THAT 42:32 IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO COME BACK, DON'T WAIT FOR A BETTER 42:36 OPPORTUNITY, NOW IS THE TIME. YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T BE DOING 42:41 JUSTICE TO THIS STORY IF I DIDN'T READ THE REST OF WHAT 42:44 HAPPENS HERE, BECAUSE THE BOY THAT RAN AWAY IS NOT THE ONLY 42:48 ONE THAT'S HAVING PROBLEMS. THERE'S A BOY WHO STAYS HOME 42:54 THAT HAS A PROBLEM IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE. 42:56 HE COMES TO HIS FATHER - VERSE 20, "AND WHILE HE'S A GREAT WAY 43:00 OFF THE FATHER SEES AND HAS COMPASSION. 43:02 HE RUNS TO HIM. HE FELL ON HIS NECK. HE KISSED HIM. 43:07 AND THE SON BEGINS HIS SPEECH 'FATHER, I'VE SINNED AGAINST 43:10 HEAVEN AND IN YOUR SIGHT'" - HOW DID JESUS TELL US TO PRAY 43:14 WHEN THE DISCIPLES ASKED HIM? 43:16 THE FIRST THING HE SAID IS, 'WHEN YOU PRAY, PRAY IN THIS 43:19 MANNER, 'OUR FATHER' HE'S TELLING US THAT NOT ONLY CAN WE 43:24 LOVE GOD LIKE THIS - THAT WE CAN APPROACH HIM AS A FATHER - THAT 43:27 WE CAN EXPECT HIM TO LOVE US LIKE A FATHER. 43:31 WITH THAT PATIENCE AND THAT MERCY. 43:34 "'FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN AND IN YOUR SIGHT. 43:36 I AM NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE CALLED YOUR SON.' BUT THE 43:40 FATHER, AS SOON AS HE SAW THAT HE WAS REPENTANT AND HE 43:42 CONFESSED, HE STOPPED HIM AND HE SAID TO HIS SERVANTS, 43:47 'BRING THE BEST ROBE AND PUT IT ON HIM. AND PUT A RING ON HIS 43:52 HAND AND SANDALS ON HIS FEET. AND BRING THE FATTED CALF HERE 43:57 AND KILL IT. AND LET US EAT AND BE MERRY. 43:59 FOR THIS, MY SON, WAS DEAD AND HE'S ALIVE AGAIN. 44:02 HE WAS LOST AND HE'S FOUND.' AND THEY BEGAN TO REJOICE. 44:07 NOW, WHAT DOES THAT ROBE REPRESENT? 44:10 THAT'S THE ROBE OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS. IT'S INTERESTING 44:14 - JOSEPH'S BROTHERS COVERED THEIR SIN OF BETRAYING JOSEPH BY 44:20 PRESENTING TO THE FATHER A BLOOD-STAINED ROBE. 44:24 THE ONLY THING THAT JESUS LEAVES BEHIND WHEN HE COMES TO THIS 44:26 WORLD - THAT THEY GAMBLE OVER - IS THAT BLOOD-STAINED ROBE. 44:31 WHAT DID JACOB GIVE JOSEPH? A ROYAL ROBE OF MANY COLORS. 44:37 IN ALL THESE STORIES, THIS REPRESENTS THAT ROBE OF 44:40 ADOPTION, THAT ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 44:43 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE REDEEMED HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE 44:47 THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB. 44:49 AND THE FATHER IS OFFERING US PURITY, FORGIVENESS, A NEW 44:53 BEGINNING, RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS. 44:56 HE'S OFFERING THAT TO EVERYBODY. IF YOU COME - YOU DRAW NEAR TO 45:00 HIM HE WILL RUN TO MEET YOU. AND YOU CAN HAVE A NEW BEGINNING 45:04 IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE. AND UP 'TIL NOW, EVERYTHING IS 45:07 GOING GREAT, BUT THE BROTHER IS UPSET. 45:13 AND SO HE HEARS ALL THE FEASTING - THE OLDER SON WAS IN THE 45:16 FIELD, VERSE 25, "AND HE DREW NEAR THE HOUSE AND HE HEARD THE 45:19 MUSIC AND DANCING AND HE CALLED ONE OF THE SERVANTS AND SAID, 45:22 'WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?' 45:24 AND THEY SAID, 'YOUR BROTHER HAS COME HOME AND BECAUSE HE, YOUR 45:27 FATHER, RECEIVED HIM SAFE AND SOUND, HE'S KILLED THE FATTED 45:29 CALF.' AND HE WAS ANGRY AND WOULD NOT GO IN. 45:34 A PREACHER WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH HIS CONGREGATION ONE 45:37 TIME AND HE SAID, NOW, SOMEBODY IN THIS STORY WAS VERY UNHAPPY - 45:42 WHO WAS THE MOST UNHAPPY IN THIS STORY AND ONE LITTLE BOY RAISED 45:45 HIS HAND AND SAID, 'THE FATTED CALF.' BUT, OBVIOUSLY, THAT 45:53 OTHER BROTHER WASN'T VERY HAPPY. HE'S IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE, BUT 45:57 HE DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME SPIRIT AS THE FATHER. 45:59 HE DOESN'T HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP. 46:01 THE FATHER CAME OUT TO HIM - AGAIN, YOU SEE THE LOVE OF THE 46:04 FATHER. HE WANTS TO REACH HIM, HE 46:07 WANTS TO BE JOINED TO HIM. AND HE PLEADED WITH HIM. 46:11 BUT YOU NOTICE THAT YOU CAN BE LOST OUT OF CHURCH AND YOU CAN 46:13 BE LOST IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE TOO. 46:17 SO THIS MESSAGE IS REALLY TO APPEAL TO EVERYBODY TO COME TO 46:21 THE FATHER. HE SAID TO HIS FATHER, "'ALL 46:26 THESE YEARS I'VE BEEN SERVING YOU AND I NEVER TRANSGRESSED 46:28 YOUR COMMANDMENT AT ANY TIME, AND YET YOU NEVER GAVE ME A 46:31 YOUNG GOAT THAT I MIGHT MAKE MERRY WITH MY FRIENDS. 46:34 AND AS SOON AS THIS SON OF YOURS'" - IT DOESN'T SAY 'MY 46:36 BROTHER' - YOUR SON. WHENEVER OUR BOYS ARE IN 46:38 TROUBLE, KAREN TELLS ME THEY'RE MY BOYS. 46:43 "'WHENEVER THIS SON OF YOURS HAS DEVOURED YOUR LIVELIHOOD WITH 46:47 HARLOTS YOU KILL FOR HIM THE FATTED CALF?' 46:51 AND HE SAID, 'SON, YOU'RE ALWAYS WITH ME AND ALL THAT I HAVE IS 46:55 YOURS' - YOU HAVEN'T REALIZED THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AT YOUR 46:57 FINGERTIPS ALWAYS - YOU'VE NOT BEEN MAKING THE WITHDRAWALS THAT 47:00 YOU CAN MAKE FROM MY BANK - THROUGH PRAYER. 47:06 PRAYER IS THE KEY IN THE HAND OF FAITH THAT CAN UNLOCK HEAVEN'S 47:11 STOREHOUSES. "HE SAID, 'IT WAS RIGHT THAT WE 47:16 SHOULD MAKE MERRY AND BE GLAD, FOR YOUR BROTHER WAS DEAD AND IS 47:18 ALIVE AGAIN, HE WAS LOST AND IS FOUND.'" NOW, I TOLD YOU THIS 47:23 STORY IS ABOUT REJOICING - THIS WHOLE CHAPTER. 47:26 REJOICING WHEN THAT LOST SHEEP IS FOUND. 47:29 REJOICING WHEN THE MISSING COIN IS RECOVERED. 47:32 REJOICING IN HEAVEN WHEN THE PRODIGAL, WHO HAS BEEN MAYBE OUT 47:37 OF THE CHURCH AND THE FATHER'S HOUSE FOR YEARS, COMES HOME. 47:42 AND THERE'S LIKEWISE REJOICING WITH GOD WHEN WE COME BACK TO 47:46 HIM. HE IS INFINITELY MORE WILLING TO 47:50 RECEIVE US THAN SOMETIMES WE ARE TO COME. 47:54 HE'S PAID SO MUCH THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN - THAT WE MIGHT HAVE 47:57 EVERLASTING LIFE. WHY DO WE WANT TO GO TO THAT FAR COUNTRY AND 48:00 DIG IN THE DEVIL'S DUMPSTER? IT'S NEVER GOING TO SATISFY YOU. 48:04 THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING TO BRING SATISFACTION IS JESUS. 48:09 YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER HEARING A STORY YEARS AGO ABOUT A BOY THAT 48:13 WENT TO HIS FATHER - GREW UP ON THE FARM - AND HE SAID, 'I DON'T 48:18 WANT TO LIVE ON THE FARM, I WANT TO LIVE IN THE CITY' - AND YOU 48:23 MAYBE NOTICED HERE WE'VE GOT THE CITY, WE'VE GOT THE CHURCH - 48:26 THIS IS LIKE THE WORLD AND THIS IS THE CHURCH AND - YOU'VE HEARD 48:29 OF THE ONE-DAY CHURCH? THIS IS THE THREE-HOUR CHURCH 48:32 RIGHT HERE. AND THAT BOY WANTED THE CITY LIFE. HE SAID, 'DAD, 48:39 LOOK CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME SEED MONEY AND I'M GOING TO MAKE GOOD 48:44 - I'VE GOT BIG PLANS. I'M GOING TO GO TO THE CITY' AND THE 48:47 FATHER RELUCTANTLY GAVE HIM SOME MONEY AND SAID, 'YOU'RE 48:51 MAKING A MISTAKE.' HE SAID, YOU'VE GOT TO FINISH YOUR 48:53 EDUCATION.' 'NAW, I'M WASTING MY TIME. 48:55 I'VE GOT BIG PLANS.' AND SO HE TOOK ALL HIS POSSESSIONS THAT HE 49:00 COULD AND HE TOOK SOME OF THE MONEY AND WENT OFF TO THE CITY. 49:04 HE CORRESPONDED EVERY NOW AND THEN WITH HIS FOLKS BY MAIL - 49:07 THIS WAS BEFORE E-MAIL AND TELEPHONE - AND MADE A MESS OF 49:12 THINGS. LOST EVERYTHING. 49:15 GOT IN WITH THE WRONG CROWD - DRINKING. 49:17 WORD REACHED THE PARENTS HOW HE WAS NOW OUT ON THE STREETS. 49:23 AND AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF LIVING IN SHAME, HE WRITES HOME 49:28 AND HE SAYS, 'YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO COME BACK AND I'M GOING TO BE 49:33 ON THE NEXT TRAIN COMING HOME. AND YOU KNOW THAT PLACE WHERE 49:36 THE TRACK GOES BY OUR FARM OUT THERE BY THE HOUSE 49:40 AND THE CLOTHESLINE?' HE SAID, 'IF YOU'RE WILLING TO 49:44 LET ME COME HOME' HE SAYS, 'I'M GOING TO RIDE BY TOWARDS THE 49:47 STATION - I HAVE TO PASS THE HOUSE ON MY WAY TO THE STATION 49:50 - IF YOU'LL JUST TIE A WHITE HANDKERCHIEF ON THE CLOTHESLINE, 49:53 I'LL KNOW THAT MEANS IT'S OKAY FOR ME TO COME HOME. 49:56 AND IF IT'S NOT THERE, I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I'VE SHAMED 49:58 THE FAMILY.' WELL, AS THE BOY WAS RIDING CLOSER TO THE HOME, 50:03 HE WAS AFRAID TO LOOK OUT OF THE WINDOW. 50:05 HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. HIS DAD WAS KIND 50:06 OF A STERN FARMER. THERE WAS ANOTHER MAN SITTING 50:10 ON THE BENCH NEXT TO HIM ON THE TRAIN. 50:11 HE SAID, 'LOOK, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON.' HE SAID, 50:12 'WE'RE COMING UP AROUND THE HILL THERE' HE SAID, 'IF YOU SEE 50:15 THERE'S A WHITE HANKY ON THE CLOTHESLINE, LET ME KNOW, 50:18 BECAUSE IT'S A SIGNAL.' AS THEY GOT NEAR THE LOCATION, THE BOY 50:22 WAS AWAITING AND THE MAN SAID TO HIS FELLOW PASSENGER, 'I THINK 50:28 YOU OUGHT TO LOOK FOR YOURSELF, YOUNG MAN.' THE BOY TURNED AND 50:31 HE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND AS THEY CAME AROUND THE CREST OF 50:34 THE HILL, NOT ONLY WAS THERE A HANKY ON THE CLOTHESLINE, THERE 50:38 WERE SHEETS HANGING FROM THE TREE, THERE WERE TOWELS OUT 50:41 THERE ON THE FENCE, THERE WERE TABLECLOTHS - EVERYTHING THAT 50:43 MOM COULD FIND WAS HANGING OUT THERE. 50:46 THE WHOLE HOUSE WAS FESTOONED WITH WHITE. 50:51 HAS THE LORD HUNG SOMETHING UP FOR US TO KNOW THAT HE WANTS US 50:54 TO COME HOME? DO YOU NEED TO COME HOME FRIENDS? 50:59 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? 51:02 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE TRUTH- 51:05 FILLED PROGRAMMING, VISIT THE AMAZING FACTS MEDIA LIBRARY AT 51:09 'AFTV.ORG'. AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN ENJOY VIDEO AND AUDIO 51:16 PRESENTATIONS AS WELL AS PRINTED MATERIAL ALL FREE OF CHARGE, 51:20 24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR COMPUTER OR 51:24 MOBILE DEVICE. VISIT 'AFTV.ORG'. 51:29 >>I REALLY WANTED TO START A NEW DEVOTIONAL HABIT BUT LIFE GOT IN 51:33 THE WAY. NEXT THING I KNOW, WE'RE A MONTH 51:35 INTO THE NEW YEAR AND I'M LIKE, 'WHAT'S THE POINT OF STARTING?' 51:38 THEN I SAW '365 AMAZING ANSWERS TO BIG BIBLE QUESTIONS'. 51:42 EACH DAY IS A SINGLE STUDY SO YOU CAN START ANYWHERE ON ANY 51:45 DAY AND NOT MISS A THING. THEY'RE CRISP, CLEAR, 51:48 AND ENLIGHTENING. >>GET YOURS TODAY BY CALLING 51:53 800-538-7275 OR VISIT 'AFBOOKSTORE.COM'. 52:03 >>AMAZING FACTS CHANGED LIVES. 52:11 >>YOU KNOW, WE GREW UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD UP IN THE MIDWEST 52:14 THAT WAS A PRETTY BAD NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHEN I BECAME A 52:17 TEENAGER I STARTED USING DRUGS. I WAS ON - I STARTED USING METH 52:22 WHEN I WAS LIKE, I THINK, 16 - 15 - SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 52:26 I WAS HAVING SOME PROBLEMS IN MY LIFE I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO 52:29 DEAL WITH. THE ONLY THING I REALLY KNEW WAS 52:33 VIOLENCE SO THIS NIGHT HERE I WAS GOING TO INFLICT 52:37 VIOLENCE ON MYSELF. I WAS REALLY HIG AND REALLY 52:40 DEPRESSED SO I TOOK, YOU KNOW, I HAD THIS .40 CALIBER. 52:43 SO I REMEMBER I PUT ONE IN THE CHAMBER AND I STUCK IT TO THE 52:46 SIDE OF MY HEAD LIKE THIS AND THAT GUN HAD A HAIR TRIGGER, 52:52 YOU KNOW? I REMEMBER I WAS TAPPING IT 52:55 'CAUSE A PART OF ME SAID 'NO, I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS. 52:59 'BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY EVIL PRESENT THERE SAYING 'DO 53:03 IT.' I JUST SAID TO MYSELF, I SAID, 'GOD, IF YOU'RE REAL SHOW 53:10 YOURSELF TO ME.' MY MOTHER TOOK ME TO CHURCH WHEN I WAS A LITTLE 53:14 KID AND WE USED TO SING 'JESUS LOVES ME' AND I REMEMBERED THAT 53:19 SONG. IT STARTED PLAYING IN MY MIND. 53:23 I ALMOST HAD, LIKE, A VISION OF ME AS A LITTLE KID, YOU KNOW? 53:30 IN SABBATH SCHOOL WE USED TO BANG THOSE STICKS TOGETHER AND 53:37 SING 'JESUS LOVES ME' AND I HEARD THAT IN MY MIND. 53:43 SO I SAID, 'WOW.' SO I JUST, KIND OF LIKE, PUT THE GUN DOWN 53:51 AND I KIND OF FELL ON MY BEDSIDE THERE AND I SAID, 'LORD,' - I 53:56 JUST BASICALLY JUST PRAYED THIS CRAZY PRAYER. 53:58 I SAYS - I TOLD HIM EVERYTHING THAT WAS WRONG WITH ME. 54:01 AND I REMEMBER, ONE DAY, I WAS DRIVING AROUND AND I KIND OF 54:03 FELT LOST, AND I DROVE BY THIS CHURCH AND I SEEN TOM OUT THERE. 54:08 TOM WAS JUST OUT THERE WATERING THE FLOWERS, YOU KNOW? 54:12 >>SO I CAUGHT A VISION OUT OF THE SIDE OF MY EYE OF THIS BIG 54:16 HUSKY GUY WITH TATTOOS WALKING UP AND SAYING HELLO. 54:22 AND I - SO I ASKED HIM IF I COULD HELP HIM AND HE TOLD ME 54:26 THAT HE DRIVES BY THE CHURCH ON OCCASION AND EVERY TIME HE GOES 54:33 BY HE'S THINKING THAT HE SHOULD STOP IN. 54:35 >>AFTER HE SHOWED ME AROUND THE CHURCH, YOU KNOW, I WAS LIKE, 54:40 'OKAY, MAN, IT'S NICE MEETING YOU.' AND THIS AND THAT - SO I 54:44 JUMPED IN MY CAR AND I STARTED HEADING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND 54:48 THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW IN, LIKE, MY PERIPHERAL VISION, I 54:52 SEE HIM COMING AROUND THE CORNER LIKE JERRY RICE RUNNING A 54:56 FOOTBALL - NO, NOT THAT FAST, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE WAS TAKING OFF 55:01 AFTER ME AND HE SAYS, 'HEY, HEY, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.' 55:04 >>I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME BIBLE STUDIES AND 55:07 HE SAID, 'YEAH.' >>HE WOULD COME BY THE HOUSE. 55:10 WE'D ALL START - WE'D START HIDING THE BEER CANS AND 55:12 TRYING TO AIR OUT THE WEED SMELL. 55:16 THERE WAS A PRESENCE THAT CAME WITH TOM THAT WAS COMFORTING, 55:21 YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T TAKING THE 55:24 BIBLE STUDIES AS SERIOUS AS I SHOULD HAVE, LOOKING BACK, THERE 55:28 WAS JUST A PRESENCE ABOUT HIM BEING THERE IN THE HOUSE 55:31 THAT WAS COMFORTING. I TOLD TOM, I SAID, 'YOU KNOW, 55:35 TOM, YOU CAN'T WIN EVERYBODY.' >>I LOOKED AT HIM AND I KNEW - 55:38 I SAID TO HIM, 'RUEBEN, I NEVER GET ANYBODY.' I SAYS, 'THE HOLY 55:44 SPIRIT WILL DO THAT.' AND I, KIND OF, IN MY HEART, KNEW THAT 55:50 THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS GOING TO WORK ON RUEBEN. 55:52 >>SO THEN TOM KIND OF LEFT THE PICTURE FOR AWHILE AND I THINK 55:57 ONE DAY, AT MY MOTHER'S HOUSE, THEY WERE WATCHING 55:59 THE FINAL EVENTS OF BIBLE PROPHECY . 56:01 SO I WATCHED THAT AND I REMEMBER THE SCENE WHERE THEY HAD THE 56:08 HELLFIRE AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OUTSIDE THE CITY AND IT 56:13 SHOWED THE HELLFIRE COMING DOWN AND BURNING PEOPLE AND STUFF. 56:18 I REMEMBER SAYING TO MYSELF, 'THAT'S WHERE I WOULD BE RIGHT 56:23 THERE.' AFTER THE HELLFIRE SCENE I SAW THE SAINTS IN THE CITY - 56:30 IN THE NEW JERUSALEM - AND JESUS RECREATING THE EARTH AND I SAID, 56:38 'I WANT THAT TO BE MY - ME AND MY FAMILY.' THERE WAS SOMETHING 56:43 ABOUT THE WAY DOUG PREACHED AND THINGS THAT I FELT THAT TOUCHED 56:46 ME BECAUSE HE'S KIND OF LIKE MYSELF, YOU KNOW, HE'S - HE 56:52 DIDN'T GROW UP LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW? 56:55 HE - HE DONE DRUGS AND THINGS SO I KIND OF FOUND THESE COMMON 56:59 GROUNDS THAT I HAD WITH HIM AND I LIKED HOW HE JUST, KIND OF, 57:03 LIKE, KEPT IT REAL WITH HIS PREACHING. 57:05 AND THEN PASTOR RODLEY CAME TO THE CHURCH AND I GOT TO KNOW HIM 57:10 VERY WELL AND WE STARTED DOING SOME FINISHING STUDIES. 57:15 HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS DOING AND 57:18 THINGS. HE BAPTIZED ME, MY WIFE, MY BROTHER. 57:22 NO MATTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE, WHERE YOU COME FROM, WHERE 57:28 YOU'VE BEEN, NO MATTER HOW BAD OF A SINNER YOU THINK YOU ARE, 57:33 THE LORD JESUS LOVES YOU NO MATTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE. 57:36 >>FRIENDS, IT'S BECAUSE OF GOD'S BLESSING AND YOUR SUPPORT 57:40 THOUSANDS OF OTHERS, JUST LILKE RUEBEN, HAVE FOUND JESUS AND 57:44 ETERNAL LIFE. (MUSIC) 57:56 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES, VISIT 57:58 AFBOOKSTORE.COM . OR CALL 1-800-538-7275. 58:06 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2018-02-13