Welcome to "Faith
Chapel" it's my privilege
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to be here
today. My name is Pastor
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Martin Fancher. I
Pastor at the DeFuniak Springs
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and Fort Walton
Beach, Florida Seventh-day
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Adventist Churches.
Today, I wanna share with you
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a very important topic
from one of my favorite
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Bible passages, it's
the passage in Matthew 25
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entitled "The Ten
Virgins." Well, we're gonna
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go there in a just few moments.
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First, I wanna
tell you a little story.
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It was April 1988, on
the evening news it showed
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pictures of skydivers,
oh beautiful things that
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they do, they would
all jump from the plane and
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they were getting into
all these random patterns
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and going together
and one man was out there
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filming all of this
with his camera right along
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with them. Well, why
it was on the news that
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evening was because
of what happened next.
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As the news caster
relate the story what
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happened after all
these formations were made,
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one by one the individuals
involved pulled their cords
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and as their chute
open they were whisked away
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and finally the last
one had pulled his cord when
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the camera man reached
to pull his cord and the
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picture went
haywire. What had happened?
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The camera man had
jumped out of the plane
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and had forgotten his parachute.
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He was so caught up
with enjoying the jump,
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he was so caught up
with the theatrics of all his
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friends in filming the
acrobatics there in the
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air that he didn't even
realize until he reached
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that the entire time
his life was in jeopardy.
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Well, it's not unlike
the story we're gonna look
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at here momentarily
because I wonder how
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often you and I are on
the brink of losing our
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eternal lives but
don't even know it.
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Well, you and I have
not yet come to a point
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of no return. There
still is a tomorrow.
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We still can make
choices today that will help us
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or hinder us tomorrow.
Let's take a look at the
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text and read
together, Matthew chapter 25
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verses 1-13, "Then
the kingdom of heaven
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shall be likened to
ten virgins who took their
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lamps and went out to
meet the bridegroom. Now
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five of them were
wise, and five were foolish.
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Those who were foolish
took their lamps and took
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no oil with them, but
the wise took oil in their
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vessels with their
lamps. But while the bridegroom
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was delayed, they
all slumbered and slept.
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And at midnight a cry was heard:
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Behold, the
bridegroom is coming;
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go out to meet him!
Then all those virgins arose
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and trimmed their
lamps. And the foolish said
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to the wise, give
us some of your oil,
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for our lamps are
going out. But the wise
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answered saying, no,
lest there should not be
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enough for us and
you; but go rather to those
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who sell and buy for
yourselves. And while
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they went to buy,
the bridegroom came and
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those who were ready
went in with him to the
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wedding; and the door was shut.
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Afterward the other
virgins came also, saying,
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Lord, Lord, open to us!
But he answered and said,
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Assuredly, I say to
you, I do not know you.
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Watch therefore, for
you know neither the day
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nor the hour in which
the Son of Man is coming."
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Wow! What an incredible
story? Story of a wedding,
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there is not one of
us that hasn't been to a
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wedding I wouldn't
believe at least a wedding
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that sticks in
our memories, you know
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in order to go to a
wedding there has to be
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a bride, there
has to be a groom,
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has to be someone who
is going to get married,
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we wouldn't all get
together in a church or
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a chapel and no one
get married and so here
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in this story we
have the ten virgins who
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by the way were
invited to the wedding.
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So in order to
have a wedding you need
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do invite people to
come and be witness to
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that wedding, and
we're going to look today
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that the way that we
work salvation through
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Jesus Christ our
Lord is by invitation,
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by preparation
and then by wedding.
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The invitation was
given. These ladies were
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well-prepared, at
least five of them were.
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Now, all ten of
them thought they were
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adequately
prepared. They believed the
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bridegroom would
be right on time,
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they believed he
would come along and they
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would move with them
into the procession and
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go to the room,
the building, the park
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wherever they would
going for this special
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ceremony they would
all go there together.
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But the Bible story
indicates that there was
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a delay, and during
the delay all ten slept.
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Now, when Jesus tells a
story there are no secrets.
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We know who the
story represents and that
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makes it easier to
find out the meaning
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of the story, for
example, we know that these
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women are called ten virgins,
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virgins that they
had not had relationship
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with men that means
they were pure women and
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the Bible tells us
that pure women represent
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God's pure church
where an impure women
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represents the false gospel,
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an impure religion,
and so here we have an
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invitation to God's
people. Now that does
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make sense, doesn't
it? That God would give an
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invitation to people
that are called his people,
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not that he didn't
give the invitation to
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everyone but only
those who loves Him
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respond. If I got
a wedding invitation
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in the mail to some
couple that I didn't know and
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nobody that I knew, knew them.
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I would probably not
go, in fact I probably
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wouldn't even
respond I would think it was
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just incorrectly
addressed. But here we have
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these women who have
received the invitation,
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they know who the
groom is, they know the
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bridegroom is coming
and they have prepared
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to be a part of
the wedding party. Oh!
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What a wonderful story
this is. Have you received
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your invitation? Oh!
I would like to say you
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have because God's
word extends to us the
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invitation that we
can all go to heaven when
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we respond to the
loving call of Jesus.
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Not only visit my
invitation but it's also by
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preparation. Why if
you get an invitation
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in the mail to
go a wedding you're
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not ready to walk out
the door to the wedding
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right then, oh, no,
no, no, we've got some
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preparation work to
do. There are some things
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to do, there is a wedding
gift, there is the change
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of clothes. Ladies
for those of you it's an
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opportunity to
buy new clothes and be
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prepared for this
wedding. It's a big event.
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Why? Under God's way
marriage is a sanctified
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act and made Holy to
Him so what a celebration
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that it should be,
and so we prepare for that
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and usually we get
an invitation in advance
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of the wedding, not
last minute but within
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a week or so of
preparation time.
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So that we can be
presented in a manner
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befitting the
occasion. Well, God has given to
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each one an
invitation and God has given us
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adequate time to be prepared.
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Well, you say how do
I get prepared for this
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wedding? Well, if we
look at this chapter at
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The Ten Virgins
who represent God's
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pure people, God's
church then Jesus Himself
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is the bridegroom.
The bridegroom is coming
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to take His bride the
Bible through many places
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calls His church, His
bride, isn't that nice?
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Isn't that sweet? God
wants to be married to us.
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He wants that bond,
the relationship that
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marriage brings
that's why I believe that He
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likens marriage
one with another to our
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relationship with Him
as we love one another
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we can truly love
others as God loves us.
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It's an amazing way
that God shares with us
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how He works using
human relationships.
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Well, they receive the
invitation and they made
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preparation, however,
the Bible is pretty clear
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that only five of
them were truly prepared.
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They brought
extra oil with them.
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Now, can you tell
me what oil represents
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in the Bible? That's correct.
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It represents the
Holy Spirit, in order
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to be ready for
this wedding one must be
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prepared physically and
spiritually and God gives
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us in His word that
He sends the Holy Spirit
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the comforter to us
to lead us and guide us
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into all truth. You
don't have to guess what
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truth is, you don't
have to guess anything.
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It's right here
and God has given to us
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a road map that we can find it.
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If God loves us so
much, would He leave us
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in the dark? Absolutely
not, and so we go back
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to our story, it
says, there was a great cry
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and they awoke from
their slumber and when
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they awoke, the
Bible says they all trimmed
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their lamps, well, if
you left a lamp running
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it kind of gets all
the way and they trim their
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lamps and that's when
five of them realized oh,
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oh, we don't have enough oil.
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Well, that's easy enough to fix.
00:10:02.91\00:10:04.11
We'll just borrow.
Well, what do we know about
00:10:04.12\00:10:07.37
the about Holy Spirit
and relationships with
00:10:07.38\00:10:09.01
each of us. Is it
possible for me to borrow some
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of the Holy Spirit
from you? Is it possible
00:10:11.72\00:10:14.29
for me to gain your
entrance into the kingdom
00:10:14.30\00:10:17.67
of heaven? No,
nobody gets into heaven on
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anyone else's coat
tails we get in by a personal
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living vibrant
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:10:24.65\00:10:27.19
When they fell
asleep five were poorly
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prepared and when
they fell asleep the other
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five were not
poorly prepared in fact,
00:10:32.92\00:10:35.67
they were
prepared satisfactorily.
00:10:35.68\00:10:37.84
They had what they
needed, the extra oil,
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and they could not
give them any of their own
00:10:42.73\00:10:44.81
and so they said to
the others go and get oil
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for yourselves.
Well, now you see under
00:10:50.66\00:10:53.20
a lot of circumstances
that's not a bad thing.
00:10:53.21\00:10:55.27
We can find oil, we
can find the Holy Spirit,
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we have time to get
into a living vibrant
00:10:58.60\00:11:01.60
relationship with
Jesus Christ but we have
00:11:01.61\00:11:03.68
to act soon. You
see, because the problem
00:11:03.69\00:11:06.77
with the story is
it was when they went
00:11:06.78\00:11:09.91
to get oil that
the bridegroom came,
00:11:09.92\00:11:12.98
say they did not know
that if they left that
00:11:13.48\00:11:17.99
was the time the
bridegroom was coming.
00:11:18.00\00:11:20.47
If they had I don't
think they would have left
00:11:20.48\00:11:22.52
but they didn't
know it was an unknown.
00:11:23.58\00:11:25.73
It was a gamble and
you my friend would be
00:11:26.23\00:11:29.28
surprised at how
many people gamble daily
00:11:29.29\00:11:32.20
with a
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:11:32.78\00:11:34.83
Don't make that gamble
or that mistake for you,
00:11:36.77\00:11:40.20
buy while there is
still time, learn the lessons
00:11:41.08\00:11:44.03
that we can find
from here, so they went,
00:11:44.30\00:11:47.10
they went to find the
oil, doesn't say whether
00:11:48.56\00:11:51.71
they were successful,
unsuccessful but they
00:11:51.72\00:11:54.93
came back and
the others were gone,
00:11:54.94\00:11:59.22
then they heard
somehow God went that the
00:12:00.35\00:12:03.36
bridegroom had
already come through that the
00:12:03.37\00:12:05.77
wedding party was
already at the destination
00:12:05.78\00:12:07.86
and scripture tells
to us that when they were
00:12:08.29\00:12:10.75
ready to go into the
wedding it was too late
00:12:10.76\00:12:14.03
for the door was
shut. Oh! My friends like
00:12:14.69\00:12:19.95
the man who jumps
without a parachute
00:12:19.96\00:12:21.96
so walking daily
without a relationship with
00:12:23.11\00:12:26.71
Jesus Christ is
just as dangerous.
00:12:26.72\00:12:29.35
No one knows when
Jesus is going to come.
00:12:30.06\00:12:32.83
Today is the day
that we make that choice.
00:12:33.45\00:12:36.67
Today is the only
day we are certain of.
00:12:37.29\00:12:41.36
Well, afterwards these
virgins came and said Lord,
00:12:42.43\00:12:46.50
Lord, open up to us,
see they even called Him
00:12:47.08\00:12:49.94
by name but He
answered to them these
00:12:49.95\00:12:53.19
sad words,
assuredly I say to you,
00:12:53.20\00:12:56.48
I don't know who you
are. I tell you what,
00:12:59.63\00:13:03.88
some of the saddest
words in the English
00:13:05.11\00:13:07.39
language in relationship
to a personal walk with
00:13:07.40\00:13:12.01
Jesus Christ would
be to hear the words
00:13:12.02\00:13:14.86
from Jesus, I
never knew you. Wow!
00:13:14.87\00:13:19.97
You and I don't
want to hear those words
00:13:20.97\00:13:22.52
and you and I don't
have to hear those words.
00:13:22.53\00:13:24.78
We can be
prepared, how? During the
00:13:25.33\00:13:28.78
waiting time, obviously
Jesus hasn't come today.
00:13:28.79\00:13:31.49
He didn't come yesterday,
don't know if He will come
00:13:32.91\00:13:36.24
tomorrow but I do know
that since He hasn't come
00:13:36.25\00:13:39.47
yet I can make
preparation right now
00:13:39.48\00:13:41.93
to be there. How do you do that?
00:13:41.94\00:13:43.91
Well, daily
Bible study and prayer.
00:13:44.41\00:13:47.28
Oh! If God wants to
get close to you then God
00:13:48.32\00:13:50.71
wants you close to
Him. And there is no other
00:13:50.72\00:13:55.28
way then to read His
word. Oh! It's wonderful
00:13:55.29\00:13:59.54
to fellowship with
believers and church,
00:13:59.55\00:14:01.77
it's wonderful to
attend the mid-week service,
00:14:01.78\00:14:04.45
it's wonderful to be
part of Bible study groups,
00:14:04.46\00:14:06.74
all these things are
necessary for a living
00:14:07.46\00:14:10.62
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:14:10.63\00:14:12.14
Do you want that
relationship today?
00:14:13.04\00:14:15.71
The kingdom of
heaven is likened to these
00:14:17.81\00:14:19.95
Ten Virgins. You and I
are invited to an ultimate
00:14:19.96\00:14:26.00
wedding. We're
invited to a party that has
00:14:26.01\00:14:29.42
surpassed all parties.
Why the scripture tells us
00:14:29.43\00:14:32.90
that there is
rejoicing when one sinner comes
00:14:32.91\00:14:37.67
to repentance. I want
to come to repentance.
00:14:37.68\00:14:43.28
I want to have my sins forgiven.
00:14:43.94\00:14:46.25
I want to have a
walk with Jesus that draws
00:14:47.28\00:14:51.56
me closer and closer
to Him each and everyday.
00:14:51.57\00:14:56.75
Well, the
invitation has been given,
00:14:57.55\00:15:00.46
preparation is now being made.
00:15:00.47\00:15:03.99
These
individual ladies made some
00:15:04.00\00:15:07.98
of good choice,
some of poor choice
00:15:07.99\00:15:10.72
but your future and
mine, our preparation
00:15:10.73\00:15:14.20
is still here today.
You and I can make that
00:15:14.21\00:15:17.87
preparation and
chose the good by having
00:15:17.88\00:15:21.98
Jesus as a part of our lives.
00:15:21.99\00:15:24.39
Well, during the
waiting time I don't know
00:15:24.40\00:15:26.68
what happens
during the waiting time.
00:15:26.69\00:15:28.44
I believe that
Jesus is waiting to come
00:15:28.45\00:15:31.35
and get us because
there are some people
00:15:31.36\00:15:33.03
that have not chosen yet.
00:15:33.04\00:15:35.50
With satellite that
goes around the globe,
00:15:35.51\00:15:39.65
with Internet, with
all of the technology
00:15:39.66\00:15:43.38
that we have
today? One would wonder
00:15:43.39\00:15:46.69
if there's
anyone who has not heard
00:15:46.70\00:15:48.93
the message that
the Bible tells us
00:15:48.94\00:15:51.35
that as soon as
the gospel is preached
00:15:51.36\00:15:53.24
to the entire
world then and only then
00:15:53.25\00:15:56.27
shall the end
come. So my friend,
00:15:56.28\00:15:59.61
are you living
that life that will save
00:15:59.62\00:16:03.93
you in the end?
Oh! If you answer yes
00:16:03.94\00:16:05.86
to that question
be careful because
00:16:05.87\00:16:07.51
there is nothing
you and I can do to
00:16:07.52\00:16:08.95
gain eternal life
except by allowing
00:16:08.96\00:16:12.39
Jesus to be Lord of our lives.
00:16:12.40\00:16:15.43
Nothing I can
do, nothing I can do
00:16:15.44\00:16:18.59
except to allow
Jesus in and accept
00:16:18.60\00:16:23.70
His will. All that I
do is in direct response
00:16:23.71\00:16:27.92
to what He has done for me.
00:16:27.93\00:16:30.40
I enjoy these new
versions of scripture
00:16:30.41\00:16:33.22
that come out
from time to time and
00:16:33.23\00:16:35.38
they give me new meaning on some
00:16:35.39\00:16:37.11
of the passage
I've come to memorize
00:16:37.12\00:16:38.63
and I really
enjoy Romans 12:1 from
00:16:38.64\00:16:41.31
one of the
passages that's newer,
00:16:41.32\00:16:44.33
these translations
and it says simply this,
00:16:44.34\00:16:47.41
when you consider
what He has done for us,
00:16:47.42\00:16:52.15
is this too much to
ask and so my friend
00:16:52.16\00:16:57.43
what a simply
equation. If you think well what
00:16:57.44\00:17:01.41
has God asked me to
do, as I read through
00:17:01.42\00:17:03.87
and I study my
Bible and I run across the
00:17:03.88\00:17:05.90
God wants me to pay a tithe then
00:17:05.91\00:17:08.86
my friend when
I consider what He
00:17:08.87\00:17:10.47
has done for me, is
that too much too ask
00:17:10.48\00:17:13.03
and I answer of course not Lord,
00:17:13.04\00:17:14.72
doesn't even come
close I'll tithed.
00:17:14.73\00:17:17.04
And as I continue
to study and I find out
00:17:17.05\00:17:20.08
that wow! He
says, He is the Lord of
00:17:20.09\00:17:22.70
the Sabbath, do I
have a Sabbath in my life?
00:17:22.71\00:17:24.97
Will I take one
day, the day that
00:17:24.98\00:17:28.05
He has chosen to worship Him.
00:17:28.06\00:17:30.17
When I consider
what He's done for me?
00:17:30.18\00:17:33.58
Is that too much
to ask Oh! No Lord
00:17:33.59\00:17:36.20
of course not.
Okay, well, I keep reading
00:17:36.21\00:17:39.95
a little more and
I run out to where
00:17:39.96\00:17:41.54
it says, love thy
neighbor as thyself,
00:17:41.55\00:17:44.20
okay Lord, that's
it, that's where you've
00:17:44.21\00:17:46.49
asked too much. Oh!
No, no, no my friend.
00:17:46.50\00:17:49.27
Yes, sometimes it
seems like He asked
00:17:49.28\00:17:51.93
too much but
when we compare it to
00:17:51.94\00:17:54.61
what He has done for us already.
00:17:54.62\00:17:58.07
The shorter list
would be what could God ask
00:17:58.08\00:18:02.73
us to do that
wouldn't be worth it?
00:18:02.74\00:18:05.89
My friend I will
sat down with my own
00:18:05.90\00:18:08.56
pad of paper and
I can't come up with
00:18:08.57\00:18:11.35
anything that He
could ask including
00:18:11.36\00:18:14.20
allowing me to
give my life because
00:18:14.21\00:18:18.86
Jesus has given me
more than this world
00:18:18.87\00:18:21.61
has to offered.
He has done within me
00:18:21.62\00:18:24.87
and desires to do within you,
00:18:24.88\00:18:27.48
His will and His
way to free us from the
00:18:27.49\00:18:32.76
bonds of sin while
on this earth in order
00:18:32.77\00:18:35.27
to put on His
robe of righteousness.
00:18:35.28\00:18:37.42
Oh! You remember
we're talking about
00:18:37.43\00:18:38.88
weddings here that
the wedding garment.
00:18:38.89\00:18:42.42
There was
wedding and a man invited
00:18:42.43\00:18:44.69
and remember some
people were too busy
00:18:44.70\00:18:46.28
I just brought some oxen,
00:18:46.29\00:18:47.43
I want to see how they plow.
00:18:47.44\00:18:48.87
Another one
said, well, you know,
00:18:48.88\00:18:51.91
I just got married
so I'm going to stay
00:18:51.92\00:18:54.04
home with my
wife. People we're not
00:18:54.05\00:18:57.71
accepting an
invitation to the wedding and
00:18:57.72\00:19:01.43
in these last days
it's going to be the same.
00:19:01.44\00:19:04.55
There are people
walking the streets today.
00:19:04.56\00:19:07.66
That will not accept
the loving the invitation
00:19:07.67\00:19:12.72
of Jesus Christ. I
pray you're not in that
00:19:12.73\00:19:15.90
number and I pray I
am not in that number.
00:19:15.91\00:19:17.82
We choose first and
foremost Jesus Christ,
00:19:17.83\00:19:21.67
king of our
lives. These ladies were
00:19:21.68\00:19:25.03
on their way to
the most blessed event.
00:19:25.04\00:19:27.79
They were on their way
to a wedding celebration.
00:19:27.80\00:19:31.61
It was a party of all
parties in Bible times,
00:19:31.62\00:19:34.41
some wedding celebration lasted
00:19:34.42\00:19:36.20
a week or more. They
were wonderful times,
00:19:36.21\00:19:39.92
the family got
together, it was an
00:19:39.93\00:19:42.21
exciting
opportunity and God tells us
00:19:42.22\00:19:45.59
that the second
coming is the same,
00:19:45.60\00:19:47.61
He tells us that
it's going to be a
00:19:47.62\00:19:49.48
celebration
unlike all celebrations,
00:19:49.49\00:19:52.01
that He is going
to prepare a table for
00:19:52.02\00:19:55.31
us in glory that
we're going to sit around,
00:19:55.32\00:19:58.50
we're going to be
there with all of our
00:19:58.51\00:20:00.33
loved ones,
that if chosen Jesus,
00:20:00.34\00:20:02.62
all of our friends
were going to meet people
00:20:02.63\00:20:05.27
that we've never
seen or met before.
00:20:05.28\00:20:07.34
We will have only
one thing in common
00:20:07.35\00:20:09.64
we've some people
that is simply this
00:20:09.65\00:20:12.63
we loved the
same Lord. Can that be
00:20:12.64\00:20:18.07
said of you
today that we love the
00:20:18.08\00:20:21.37
same Lord, that
we've invited the same Lord
00:20:21.38\00:20:24.60
into our hearts,
may that be our prayer
00:20:24.61\00:20:28.19
each and
everyday. We've been invited
00:20:28.20\00:20:31.63
to the greatest
wedding of all time,
00:20:31.64\00:20:33.91
the greatest
wedding between our Savior
00:20:33.92\00:20:37.10
and His bride His
church, you and I.
00:20:37.11\00:20:42.62
If we are right now in
the time of preparation
00:20:42.63\00:20:46.22
and in waiting,
they go hand in hand.
00:20:46.23\00:20:48.90
We don't know
when Jesus will come
00:20:48.91\00:20:51.17
but he will come
soon. We know that the
00:20:51.18\00:20:54.79
Bible has promised
that, it's share with
00:20:54.80\00:20:56.85
us that Jesus right
now John 14 is up in
00:20:56.86\00:21:00.06
heaven
preparing mansions for us.
00:21:00.07\00:21:02.77
Our prayer there
is a mail box out on
00:21:02.78\00:21:04.44
the street with my name on it.
00:21:04.45\00:21:06.17
I want to be there, don't you?
00:21:06.18\00:21:08.79
This wedding is
the only opportunity
00:21:08.80\00:21:13.91
to be with Jesus forever.
00:21:13.92\00:21:16.73
The door was shut when those who
00:21:18.25\00:21:21.75
were not ready,
sort out to get ready,
00:21:21.76\00:21:27.13
and scripture told
us, watch therefore for
00:21:27.14\00:21:30.92
you know neither
the day nor the hour
00:21:30.93\00:21:33.21
that the Son of Man is coming.
00:21:33.22\00:21:35.55
Even I don't know
when Jesus is coming,
00:21:35.56\00:21:37.73
but we do know He is coming soon
00:21:37.74\00:21:40.35
and I want to be there.
00:21:40.36\00:21:41.96
The story is told of a young man
00:21:41.97\00:21:43.84
who went to get a job on a farm.
00:21:43.85\00:21:47.12
He was a handy man and He didn't
00:21:47.13\00:21:49.46
have any
references but when the farmer
00:21:49.47\00:21:53.19
ask Him some of
his traits, one of the
00:21:53.20\00:21:55.92
traits that stuck
in the farmer's mind
00:21:55.93\00:21:57.73
was this when he
said, I can sleep
00:21:57.74\00:22:01.08
when the wind blows, you can
00:22:01.09\00:22:04.02
sleep when the wind
blows? Yes, sir I can.
00:22:04.03\00:22:08.26
Hey, that was interesting and he
00:22:08.27\00:22:10.26
answered the
rest of the questions
00:22:10.27\00:22:11.48
of the interview
just well and inspite
00:22:11.49\00:22:13.56
of no references
the farmer hired him,
00:22:13.57\00:22:16.06
and he proceeded to work.
00:22:16.07\00:22:18.89
Well, it was
only a few weeks later
00:22:18.90\00:22:22.02
when a great storm
blew up out of nowhere,
00:22:22.03\00:22:25.60
the farmer got up
out of bed panicking
00:22:25.61\00:22:28.02
because the wind
was strong it was
00:22:28.03\00:22:29.60
going to literally
undo and cause dire
00:22:29.61\00:22:33.60
problems on his
farm. And he goes out to
00:22:33.61\00:22:37.64
the little place
where his worker is living
00:22:37.65\00:22:41.72
and he looks through the window
00:22:41.73\00:22:43.53
and his hireling is sleeping.
00:22:43.54\00:22:47.31
He beats on the
door and looks through
00:22:47.32\00:22:52.29
the window. The
boy doesn't get up.
00:22:52.30\00:22:55.77
Well, he can't
wait for him, he saw him
00:22:55.78\00:22:57.83
stir a little bit
so he went to run,
00:22:57.84\00:22:59.39
he had to go, he
had to save his farm
00:22:59.40\00:23:01.66
and so he runs around and wants
00:23:01.67\00:23:04.34
to close the
protection on the windows but
00:23:04.35\00:23:07.06
they're already shut. He goes to
00:23:07.07\00:23:10.45
move the tractor inside the barn
00:23:10.46\00:23:12.25
and he finds that
the tractor is already
00:23:12.26\00:23:14.63
inside and the doors are bolted.
00:23:14.64\00:23:18.42
Why the farm implements have
00:23:18.43\00:23:21.60
been moved next to the barn,
00:23:21.61\00:23:23.16
the hay had been
restock, amazingly
00:23:23.17\00:23:25.31
enough everything
he went to in order
00:23:25.32\00:23:28.26
to save it, had
already been done,
00:23:28.27\00:23:31.28
and then it dawned on him.
00:23:31.29\00:23:33.73
That's what he meant I can sleep
00:23:33.74\00:23:38.51
when the wind
blows. My friend can you
00:23:38.52\00:23:42.17
sleep when the wind blows?
00:23:42.18\00:23:44.36
This young man had done his job
00:23:44.37\00:23:46.54
faithfully day by
day doing it right going
00:23:46.55\00:23:50.78
the extra mile while
the waiting was good,
00:23:50.79\00:23:53.98
while the weather
was good, when he could
00:23:53.99\00:23:56.76
have been lazy,
he did his job well
00:23:56.77\00:23:59.55
and now when the
time's got tough,
00:23:59.56\00:24:02.56
he was ready
and he was prepared.
00:24:02.57\00:24:06.70
Are you jumping
out of an airplane
00:24:06.71\00:24:08.70
without a parachute?
I certainly hope not.
00:24:08.71\00:24:12.31
He only found out
when it was too late.
00:24:12.32\00:24:16.73
Living the Christian
life is an awful lot like
00:24:16.74\00:24:21.23
these stories
we've looked at today.
00:24:21.24\00:24:23.18
We think one thing
but reality is another.
00:24:23.19\00:24:29.77
I can say I am
saved just as I can say
00:24:29.78\00:24:33.61
I'm a millionaire but
that doesn't make it so.
00:24:33.62\00:24:37.92
I can say that I love
Jesus but am I willing
00:24:37.93\00:24:43.34
to walk in the
path that Jesus has laid
00:24:43.35\00:24:46.10
out for me? Far too often people
00:24:46.11\00:24:49.15
who accept Jesus
Christ, accept Jesus
00:24:49.16\00:24:52.73
in their way not
having to change your life.
00:24:52.74\00:24:55.91
God will love me just
as I am, well, you know
00:24:55.92\00:24:59.71
that's sound good,
and God does love us
00:24:59.72\00:25:02.23
just as we are but as
a parent parents a child.
00:25:02.24\00:25:07.18
When they
disciple them, when they
00:25:07.19\00:25:09.87
discipline them
and show them to the
00:25:09.88\00:25:13.50
way to go, most moms and dads
00:25:13.51\00:25:16.77
and grandmas and
grandpas expect the
00:25:16.78\00:25:19.76
young one to
improve and get better
00:25:19.77\00:25:23.15
because now they know better.
00:25:23.16\00:25:25.41
You and I are like
The Ten Virgins here
00:25:25.42\00:25:29.28
in scripture. We've
been given this great
00:25:29.29\00:25:32.21
invitation to a one time event,
00:25:32.22\00:25:35.00
the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:25:35.01\00:25:37.25
Do you want to be
there? I know I do
00:25:37.26\00:25:39.98
then we come to
the preparation just
00:25:39.99\00:25:42.93
as we prepare for a
wedding here on earth.
00:25:42.94\00:25:45.31
We prepare for a
wedding up above.
00:25:45.32\00:25:48.58
That day is
coming very, very soon.
00:25:48.59\00:25:52.16
I want to be a part of that day.
00:25:52.17\00:25:54.57
During this time of
waiting, while we're
00:25:54.58\00:25:57.58
waiting from one day
to the next for a sign
00:25:57.59\00:26:01.46
that He is coming. I
want to remain faithful
00:26:01.47\00:26:05.44
to Him moment by
moment, day by day
00:26:05.45\00:26:08.00
from this day
forward, don't you?
00:26:08.01\00:26:11.12
I believe you do.
Well then during this
00:26:11.13\00:26:15.12
preparation time
while we are waiting for
00:26:15.13\00:26:16.85
Jesus to come, take
every opportunity to
00:26:16.86\00:26:19.62
get to know your Lord
and savior Jesus Christ.
00:26:19.63\00:26:22.08
Daily Bible study
and prayer, meeting for
00:26:22.09\00:26:26.72
mid-week service
us, fellow-shipping with
00:26:26.73\00:26:29.88
Christian friends,
singing Christian songs,
00:26:29.89\00:26:32.98
living a life that God
leads us to live is our
00:26:32.99\00:26:39.56
response to this great
invitation of all time.
00:26:39.57\00:26:44.62
I want to be
ready when Jesus comes.
00:26:45.70\00:26:49.33
Will you bow
your heads with me as
00:26:49.34\00:26:51.94
we ask God to
come into our hearts
00:26:51.95\00:26:53.87
this very moment.
Gracious Father in
00:26:53.88\00:26:56.81
heaven, we thank You
so much that You love us,
00:26:56.82\00:27:00.46
thank you that You
send Jesus to die for us
00:27:00.47\00:27:03.96
and thank you for
the great invitation to
00:27:03.97\00:27:07.31
attend the wedding, our wedding,
00:27:07.32\00:27:09.43
Your wedding, when
You come to take us home.
00:27:09.44\00:27:13.35
May the day of
Your coming be soon
00:27:13.36\00:27:16.19
but until that day comes Father,
00:27:16.20\00:27:19.09
help us be
prepared so that we maybe
00:27:19.10\00:27:23.40
ready for we do not know the day
00:27:23.41\00:27:26.23
or the hour that you're coming.
00:27:26.24\00:27:27.63
So we want to be
able to sleep soundly
00:27:27.64\00:27:31.74
through the
night. For these things
00:27:31.75\00:27:33.79
we pray in Jesus name, amen.
00:27:33.80\00:27:36.76
O my friend, may
God grant you peace
00:27:36.77\00:27:40.28
that passes all understanding,
00:27:40.29\00:27:41.71
may He give you the strength
00:27:41.72\00:27:43.48
and the courage to
take a step for Him
00:27:43.49\00:27:48.27
because it will be the
00:27:48.28\00:27:50.71
greatest step you ever take.
00:27:50.72\00:27:53.86