I want to welcome you
to Faith Chapel today.
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My name is
Evangelist Roger Duncan
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from the
twin-island state of Trinidad
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and Tobago. I am a member of the
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South Caribbean Conference of
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Seventh-day
Adventist. My subject today
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is entitled "When
Jesus tarries behind."
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Let's pray. Father,
I thank you for this
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awesome
privilege of being a voice
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in the kingdom of
God for such a time
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like this. I ask you
to leap out of these pages
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of history in to our hearts,
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illuminate our
minds and our hearts
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to have a fuller
relationship with you
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and blessed your
people, in Jesus name, amen.
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I want to read in
your hearing from Luke
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the 2nd chapter
from verse 43 to 46,
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And when they had
fulfilled the days,
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as they returned,
the child Jesus tarried
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behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph
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and his mother knew not of it.
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But they
supposing him to have been
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in the company
went a day's journey;
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and they sought him
among their kinsfolk
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and acquaintance. And
when they found him not,
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they returned back
again to Jerusalem,
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seeking him.
And it came to pass,
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that after three
days they found him
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in the temple, sitting in the
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midst of the
doctors, both hearing them,
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and asking them questions.
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When Jesus tarried
behind, many places
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in the Bible and even
in one's Christian walk,
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it will appear that
if Jesus has left them
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and has tarried
behind. Jesus does that
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at that time to see
if we will pursue him
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unrelentingly.
For example, even when
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Abraham was sitting in his tent
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in the scriptures
and he saw three persons
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passing by. He ran to them
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and compelled them
that they must come
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in his house, so that
they could have supper
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with him. As a
result of his hospitality
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at that time
Abraham was blessed because
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he compelled them, he
insisted that they stay.
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You will
observe even though kin,
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a nightish woman who it appeared
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as if Jesus was
saying to her just go away,
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I am not giving you
any bread but because
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of her
persistent to make sure that
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Jesus blessed
her and stay with her
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she was eventually
blessed. Even Jacob
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as he wrestled with
the angel he thought
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as he wrestled
there and the angel said,
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let me go. Yet Jacob said,
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I will not let you
go except you bless me.
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This is the kind of
tenacity that a person
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has to have in his relationship,
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his whole
relationship with Jesus,
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even though from the
surface it may appear
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as if Jesus is
saying no, it may appear
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as if He is passing
you by like on the guys
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on the route to MAS.
You must still compel
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Jesus to stay, you
must still wrestle with Him.
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It is people who
wrestle with their God
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with a tenacious
faith will receive
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the blessings from
God. Now in this particular
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chapter in the Book
of Luke the 2nd chapter.
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We see that Mary
and Joseph had gone up
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to Jerusalem in the pass over.
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It was a wonderful ceremony.
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It was the pass
over and like every Jew
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they went up as
it was their custom.
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And so while they
were there they had
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all the religious
activities, the killing
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of the lamb, the
pouring of the water,
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all this talk on
religious activity
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that pointed to
Jesus. And while they were
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there and they
decided to return,
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Jesus tarried
behind. Now here it is that
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you are coming
from a church service,
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you are talking about church,
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you are talking
about the wonderful sermon,
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the pastor preach,
and the wonderful time
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we have and you're talking about
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what a wonderful
service, the temple
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is so beautiful,
the stain glass windows
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are so wonderful.
Haven't you seen what
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they did with the
lamp and it pointed
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to the Messiah,
you're talking about things
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of Jesus and the
savior himself has
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tarried behind. Therefore,
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it is possible to
have just come from
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a religious
ceremony, a church service
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talking about the experience,
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talking about
how wonderful it is,
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how the lamb
points to the Messiah,
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all the things
that a Jew will do,
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yet Jesus has tarried behind.
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Now what bothers me
is that it is possible
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to go on your
experience without Jesus.
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He has stopped. He
has tarried behind to see
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what we will do, so
it is one thing for Jesus
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to tarried behind,
but it's another thing
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not to know because
when you don't know,
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you continue your
religious experience,
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you continue your
religious activity,
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and you continue
preaching the sermons,
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singing the song,
teaching the class,
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all these things
and Jesus has tarried
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behind. As a
Christian, as a person
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you must always be operating
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with the frequency of heaven,
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so that you could know
when there is a change.
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When there is
something happening,
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what I am trying to
say is that people need
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to have a connection with Jesus
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that is so strong,
that if he stops, you stops,
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if he moves at the
side you move at the side.
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In another words I am advocating
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a hand in hand relationship with
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your God, with you savior,
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with Jesus
Christ. So Mary and Joseph
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even though they were
his mother and father,
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Jesus tarried
behind, and they knew it not.
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Jesus was lost to
people who loved him.
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Jesus was lost to
people who loved him.
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The love of Mary and Joseph was
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not in question
but Jesus tarried
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and they knew it
not. Now the Bible
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goes in to say in
verse 44, but they supposing
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him to have been
in their company.
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Now look at the progression,
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Jesus tarries and
they don't know of it,
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but then they are supposing him
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to have been in their company
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and went a day's
journey. So Jesus
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tarries behind, they don't know
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he has tarried and
then they suppose him
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to be there. Now
this is a critical point,
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it is critical
because you could suppose,
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you can guess, you
can think that Jesus
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is in your midst
because of who you are.
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I am his
mother, I am his father,
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I am a church
leader, I have a big office,
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I am the Pastor
here, so Jesus is here
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and you suppose, he
is there but he is not.
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It is dangerous
just to assume that Jesus
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is in your
company because of your
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relationship to
him in terms of like
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Mary and Joseph.
So they suppose him
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to be in their
company and they went
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on a day's
journey. Now hear this,
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when you suppose that
Jesus is in your company
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and you don't know of
it, you tend to continue
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without him. Now Mary and Joseph
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continued a day's
journey and didn't
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recognize it.
So they have people
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who is supposed to have Jesus
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but Jesus is not
with them and you continue
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to serve, you continue
to serve the Deaconary,
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you continue to
serve in your school,
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you continue to
serve in your church,
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you continue to
serve in your business,
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and you don't recognized
that Jesus is not there.
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What happens when people realize
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that Jesus is not
there and they don't know,
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they tend to increase effort,
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and so we think is
that we haven't see
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of our program
or more programming
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or invite a
great speaker to change
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your thing and
all we need is Jesus.
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What I am saying
is that Jesus is still
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the answer to every problem.
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When a person has
Jesus continually with them,
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it makes
teaching easier, it makes
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preaching easier,
it makes your singing
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easier because
if you are preached
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and people is
blessed, it is really Jesus
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who preached. If
you have sung a song
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and people are
blessed it is really Him
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that have sung, so we need him.
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We have to make sure
that we don't continue
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religious
activity and miss Jesus.
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And so Mary and
Joseph suppose him
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to be there. The Bible
says, they looked among
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their kinfolks and so
upon realizing now that
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listen Jesus is
missing, Jesus is not with us,
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Jesus has gone somewhere.
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Where is Jesus?
You know what they did.
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They looked
among their kinfolks.
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Now when you observe
that there is a drought
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in your religious experience.
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When you observe
that there is a drought,
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you are
experiencing barrenness in your
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Christian
experience, don't look among
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your kinfolks.
Some people look among
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brethren for their
solution. They look
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among people,
you pick up the phone
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with your
problems and you call mama
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and you call daddy
and you call elder this.
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Now there is a place for that,
00:11:09.83\00:11:11.96
but once Jesus
has tarried behind.
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When Jesus is behind of you,
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once you are not
connected with Jesus
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enough, Jesus is the only person
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that can solve that issue.
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So in Mary and
Joseph case, the Bible says
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they went a day's
journey and they sort
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him among the
kinfolks and acquaintances.
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This is a problem
that I find happens
00:11:34.18\00:11:37.43
in Christendom
today. People that find
00:11:37.44\00:11:40.11
themselves in a
terrible situation look
00:11:40.12\00:11:42.55
among people, look among a man,
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you look for great evangelist,
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you look for great pastor,
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you look for great teacher,
00:11:48.41\00:11:49.80
now each one of
them have their place.
00:11:49.81\00:11:52.42
But the main
ingredient in your Christian
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experience is having Jesus,
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and that is always
the focus of this preacher
00:11:59.95\00:12:02.78
because I've have
realized a long time ago
00:12:02.79\00:12:05.62
that Jesus is the main stay,
00:12:05.63\00:12:08.23
he is the main character,
00:12:08.24\00:12:09.95
he is the hero of the Bible.
00:12:09.96\00:12:11.89
Peter, John,
Daniel, David, all these men
00:12:11.90\00:12:15.82
are just
characters moving on the stage
00:12:15.83\00:12:18.61
of life, but the
real hero of the Bible
00:12:18.62\00:12:21.75
is Jesus. I would
like to say that the Bible
00:12:21.76\00:12:25.78
is a Him book,
not hymn it's a Him,
00:12:25.79\00:12:30.84
it's a book
about Him, and you have
00:12:30.85\00:12:33.65
to make sure as
an individual that
00:12:33.66\00:12:36.37
you never go on without Jesus.
00:12:36.38\00:12:38.80
You always have
to test the frequency
00:12:38.81\00:12:41.12
to make sure that
Jesus has not tarried behind,
00:12:41.13\00:12:45.41
and that Jesus is
continuing and continual
00:12:45.42\00:12:49.75
with you. So Mary and
Joseph they love Jesus.
00:12:49.76\00:12:53.58
They lost Jesus in Jerusalem,
00:12:53.59\00:12:57.27
Jerusalem represents the church.
00:12:57.28\00:13:00.20
In other words, they lost Him,
00:13:00.21\00:13:03.07
they missed Him in
a church environment.
00:13:03.08\00:13:06.44
Look at his,
listen to this point,
00:13:06.45\00:13:07.88
It is possible then
to have all the trapping
00:13:07.89\00:13:11.29
again of church
have good sermons
00:13:11.30\00:13:14.30
and have all these
things and Jesus has
00:13:14.31\00:13:17.96
folded his arms
and tarried behind.
00:13:17.97\00:13:21.80
It means therefore,
that I only can trust
00:13:21.81\00:13:25.48
my relationship
with Jesus to ensure
00:13:25.49\00:13:29.49
that is always
active and vibrant.
00:13:29.50\00:13:32.85
So and continuing
it says, and they found
00:13:32.86\00:13:36.90
Him not and they
turned back again
00:13:36.91\00:13:40.61
to Jerusalem
seeking Him. Now when you
00:13:40.62\00:13:44.97
realize that Jesus has tarried,
00:13:44.98\00:13:47.66
the best thing you
can do as a Christian,
00:13:47.67\00:13:51.62
as a person, as
an individual is to
00:13:51.63\00:13:54.81
turn back to Him.
There are millions of people
00:13:54.82\00:13:58.48
out there who know about Jesus,
00:13:58.49\00:14:01.10
who have an
acquaintance with Jesus,
00:14:01.11\00:14:03.15
and Jesus has
been talking to you,
00:14:03.16\00:14:05.54
all Jesus is saying to you today
00:14:05.55\00:14:08.10
is to turn around.
When you turn around
00:14:08.11\00:14:11.16
its like
repentance, you are going
00:14:11.17\00:14:13.46
in one direction,
Jesus is saying turn
00:14:13.47\00:14:16.29
in around, do not
continue your life
00:14:16.30\00:14:19.66
without Jesus.
Jesus is a burden bearer.
00:14:19.67\00:14:23.72
He is the heavy load sharer.
00:14:23.73\00:14:25.53
He is the one that
could fix your marriage.
00:14:25.54\00:14:28.25
He is the one that
could fix your boss
00:14:28.26\00:14:30.87
on the job. He is the
one that could give you
00:14:30.88\00:14:33.64
a job that you're
not qualified for.
00:14:33.65\00:14:36.09
People don't realize when Jesus
00:14:36.10\00:14:39.18
is in the heart, He
makes all things right,
00:14:39.19\00:14:42.01
even though you
maybe facing prosecution
00:14:42.02\00:14:45.02
and trials, and temptations.
00:14:45.03\00:14:47.47
Once you have Jesus
he makes the difference.
00:14:47.48\00:14:50.67
So that Jesus
tarried behind and they
00:14:52.34\00:14:56.39
turn back. This
is the key to life,
00:14:56.40\00:15:00.75
turning back to
see where Jesus is.
00:15:00.76\00:15:04.15
So Mary and Joseph
they turn back to God.
00:15:04.16\00:15:08.68
They turn back to
where they first left Him.
00:15:08.69\00:15:12.15
But the Bible says
something interesting
00:15:12.16\00:15:14.56
in verse 46, it
says. And it came to pass,
00:15:14.57\00:15:18.23
that, after three
days, after three days
00:15:18.24\00:15:23.36
now watch this? It
took a moment for them
00:15:23.37\00:15:28.14
to miss Jesus, it
took a moment for Jesus
00:15:28.15\00:15:32.23
to be lost by them,
but it took three days
00:15:32.24\00:15:35.85
to recover him.
It is easier to leave
00:15:35.86\00:15:40.03
Jesus behind
then to find him back.
00:15:40.04\00:15:43.05
Therefore, I urge
people if you are living
00:15:43.06\00:15:46.84
close to Jesus, if
you are a Christian,
00:15:46.85\00:15:49.75
continue to stay
close to Him because
00:15:49.76\00:15:53.83
if you leave him
behind, you may not find Him
00:15:53.84\00:15:56.71
in three days.
For Mary and Joseph
00:15:56.72\00:15:59.36
it was three
days, but for some of us
00:15:59.37\00:16:02.78
it has been a year,
two years, three years,
00:16:02.79\00:16:05.70
ten years. You were a Christian
00:16:05.71\00:16:07.74
when you were
small. You went to church
00:16:07.75\00:16:09.87
when you were
small. You went with your
00:16:09.88\00:16:11.65
grandmother. You were
there in Sabbath school.
00:16:11.66\00:16:14.22
You were there in
the church service.
00:16:14.23\00:16:16.00
You had a good
time, but eventually
00:16:16.01\00:16:18.35
you allowed cares
of this world to choke
00:16:18.36\00:16:21.74
Jesus out and
you've left Him behind.
00:16:21.75\00:16:24.46
Now you are trying
to raise your kids.
00:16:24.47\00:16:26.59
You are trying
to run your family.
00:16:26.60\00:16:28.66
You are trying all
these things without Him,
00:16:28.67\00:16:30.94
and you're failing
and all Jesus is saying
00:16:30.95\00:16:33.96
comeback. Look how
many years you have been
00:16:33.97\00:16:36.64
away from him.
Are you successful?
00:16:36.65\00:16:38.82
How do you define success?
00:16:38.83\00:16:41.04
Success as far as
heaven is concerned
00:16:41.05\00:16:44.38
is a vibrant
relationship with Jesus.
00:16:44.39\00:16:47.62
You may not have any money,
00:16:47.63\00:16:49.18
you may not have a big house,
00:16:49.19\00:16:50.82
you may not have fancy cars,
00:16:50.83\00:16:52.54
but I tell you once
you have Jesus with you,
00:16:52.55\00:16:55.75
once you have
Jesus in your heart.
00:16:55.76\00:16:57.86
That is why some
Christians in spite
00:16:57.87\00:17:00.28
of the fact that they don't have
00:17:00.29\00:17:01.59
a lot of things.
Once you have Jesus
00:17:01.60\00:17:04.14
you can say praise
the Lord, Hallelujah,
00:17:04.15\00:17:07.16
thank you, because
as far as I'm concerned
00:17:07.17\00:17:09.58
you can take my car,
you can take my house,
00:17:09.59\00:17:12.13
you can take
anything but don't take
00:17:12.14\00:17:14.57
Jesus because in
Him I move and live
00:17:14.58\00:17:17.63
and have my
being. He is the person
00:17:17.64\00:17:20.13
that helps me. He is the person
00:17:20.14\00:17:21.84
that blessed
me. He is the person
00:17:21.85\00:17:23.45
that helped me to
stay in my marriage,
00:17:23.46\00:17:25.31
to stay faithful to
my wife and children.
00:17:25.32\00:17:27.89
It is Jesus, and
so I submit to us.
00:17:27.90\00:17:30.73
Once you realized
that Jesus has tarried,
00:17:30.74\00:17:34.25
turn back to Jesus, turn to Him,
00:17:34.26\00:17:37.82
and even though it
has been three days
00:17:37.83\00:17:40.87
for them, it
maybe ten years for you,
00:17:40.88\00:17:43.30
but the nice thing
is if you turn back
00:17:43.31\00:17:46.20
you will find Him
where you last left Him.
00:17:46.21\00:17:49.35
Jesus is waiting
on you. He is waiting.
00:17:49.36\00:17:53.43
He is calling. He is
hoping that you return
00:17:53.44\00:17:56.71
and once you
return, He will hug you,
00:17:56.72\00:17:59.46
He will welcome
you. When the prodigal
00:17:59.47\00:18:02.03
son returned and turned around,
00:18:02.04\00:18:04.35
the Bible says
when he came to Himself,
00:18:04.36\00:18:07.05
when he realized
that in his father's house
00:18:07.06\00:18:10.29
there was plenty
of bread to spare
00:18:10.30\00:18:12.83
and for the
servants, he turned around
00:18:12.84\00:18:14.97
what's this? Salvation begins
00:18:14.98\00:18:18.09
when you turn
around. The prodigal son
00:18:18.10\00:18:21.44
still had his dirty clothes on.
00:18:21.45\00:18:23.17
He still had pig
food in his mouth.
00:18:23.18\00:18:25.77
He still probably wear
his jewels but you know
00:18:25.78\00:18:29.23
what once you turn around,
00:18:29.24\00:18:31.03
salvation
begins. You turn around
00:18:31.04\00:18:33.96
now the journey
is where you take off
00:18:33.97\00:18:36.35
the clothes, where
you take off the jewels.
00:18:36.36\00:18:38.76
When the Father
met him then he removed
00:18:38.77\00:18:41.21
his clothes. He
blessed him and so when God,
00:18:41.22\00:18:45.61
when God meets you
as you come as you are,
00:18:45.62\00:18:48.87
he begins to tell
you about what you wear,
00:18:48.88\00:18:50.86
and what you eat,
but the thing is come
00:18:50.87\00:18:53.30
as you are, come
today, come today to Jesus
00:18:53.31\00:18:56.45
and He will welcome
you. Mary and Joseph
00:18:56.46\00:18:59.41
as they turned
around, they found Jesus
00:18:59.42\00:19:03.28
in the temple
talking with the doctors,
00:19:03.29\00:19:06.65
in the temple hearing them.
00:19:06.66\00:19:08.64
Now I have a
serious issue with this part
00:19:08.65\00:19:13.44
of the text. I don't want to ask
00:19:13.45\00:19:16.14
a serious
question. If Mary and Joseph
00:19:16.15\00:19:21.87
had continued to talk to Jesus,
00:19:21.88\00:19:25.97
they would have
never missed Him.
00:19:25.98\00:19:28.24
I am almost
certain that you probably
00:19:28.25\00:19:31.36
walking down in a
busy street having
00:19:31.37\00:19:33.60
a conversation
with an individual,
00:19:33.61\00:19:35.48
and eventually they
stop a little bit behind
00:19:35.49\00:19:38.38
but because you
were talking to them
00:19:38.39\00:19:40.73
and it was not a
monologue you realize
00:19:40.74\00:19:43.72
quickly that,
that person has tarried
00:19:43.73\00:19:46.00
behind. And so
if Mary and Joseph
00:19:46.01\00:19:49.43
have not been
talking to their kinfolks
00:19:49.44\00:19:52.51
and their families
and friends but focusing
00:19:52.52\00:19:55.69
on talking to
Jesus, they would have
00:19:55.70\00:19:57.79
not left Him
behind, here is the key.
00:19:57.80\00:20:00.23
When you have a
vibrant prayer life,
00:20:00.24\00:20:03.35
and you continue a communication
00:20:03.36\00:20:06.06
with Jesus, talking
to Him about your issues,
00:20:06.07\00:20:08.99
He will not be left behind.
00:20:09.00\00:20:10.84
But too many people
as soon as they are faced
00:20:10.85\00:20:15.21
with a problem, or
soon as they are faced
00:20:15.22\00:20:18.31
with an issue, the
first thing they do
00:20:18.32\00:20:20.90
is to pick up the
phone and begin to complain
00:20:20.91\00:20:23.93
about your friend.
But I want to suggest
00:20:23.94\00:20:25.86
to you, your friend cannot solve
00:20:25.87\00:20:28.35
your problems.
They can talk with you
00:20:28.36\00:20:30.82
and there are place for friends,
00:20:30.83\00:20:32.43
but what I've
discovered is that people
00:20:32.44\00:20:35.22
replace Jesus
with family members,
00:20:35.23\00:20:38.67
with friends, and
so it's easy to pick up
00:20:38.68\00:20:40.90
the phone and say,
hello, Tom or hello,
00:20:40.91\00:20:43.90
Mary, you know I
have this problem
00:20:43.91\00:20:46.04
and begin to weep.
But I am suggesting
00:20:46.05\00:20:48.32
to all, that if
we practice talking
00:20:48.33\00:20:52.31
to Jesus continually,
you will discover that
00:20:52.32\00:20:55.53
He still is the
great problem solver.
00:20:55.54\00:20:58.68
He is still the
great burden bearer.
00:20:58.69\00:21:01.35
He said come to me,
talk to me, my burden
00:21:01.36\00:21:04.50
is light, my yoke is easy.
00:21:04.51\00:21:07.41
I am recommending
every moment in the sermon
00:21:07.42\00:21:10.77
that Jesus is the
key, he is the answer.
00:21:10.78\00:21:13.44
And so if Mary and
Joseph had continued
00:21:13.45\00:21:19.40
to speak to Jesus,
he would not be left
00:21:19.41\00:21:23.31
behind. But in addition to that
00:21:23.32\00:21:26.17
if Mary and
Joseph kept their eyes on
00:21:26.18\00:21:30.76
Jesus even though
they had stopped speaking
00:21:30.77\00:21:35.59
to Him. If they
kept their eyes on Jesus,
00:21:35.60\00:21:39.13
looking at Him,
He would not be lost.
00:21:39.14\00:21:41.68
The problem is
people are looking at
00:21:41.69\00:21:44.50
everybody else but
Jesus. Some people,
00:21:44.51\00:21:49.09
they say, I am
not joining the church
00:21:49.10\00:21:50.94
because there are hypocrites
00:21:50.95\00:21:52.55
in the church. I am
not joining this church
00:21:52.56\00:21:54.73
because the pastor did this.
00:21:54.74\00:21:56.65
I am not joining
the church because
00:21:56.66\00:21:58.60
the Deacon did
this. I am not joining
00:21:58.61\00:22:00.45
the church
because this no, no, no.
00:22:00.46\00:22:02.66
They are not
your supreme example
00:22:02.67\00:22:05.95
that I am a
flesh, I may fail you,
00:22:05.96\00:22:08.31
I am a man, I may
feel you, but Jesus
00:22:08.32\00:22:11.24
never fails, and
He says, looking on to
00:22:11.25\00:22:14.07
Jesus, the author and
finisher of your faith.
00:22:14.08\00:22:16.94
The person to keep
your eyes on is on Jesus.
00:22:16.95\00:22:20.67
And when you
continue to look at Jesus,
00:22:20.68\00:22:23.51
the things of
this world, the things
00:22:23.52\00:22:27.16
of this world
just goes strangely
00:22:27.17\00:22:29.82
dim in the light of
his glory and his grace.
00:22:29.83\00:22:34.49
Jesus is still the
answer, keep your eyes
00:22:34.50\00:22:39.79
on Him and people all over,
00:22:39.80\00:22:42.88
they come to me sometimes.
00:22:42.89\00:22:44.54
They all these bad
things that happening
00:22:44.55\00:22:48.30
in the church
but I want to ask you
00:22:48.31\00:22:49.99
something even though
there were animal faces
00:22:50.00\00:22:54.68
in the Ark, there
were donkey faces,
00:22:54.69\00:22:57.59
goat faces all
these filth in the Ark
00:22:57.60\00:23:01.02
even though the Ark
didn't smell too good,
00:23:01.03\00:23:03.99
at least the Ark
didn't have water
00:23:04.00\00:23:07.04
and when it was all
over the people in the Ark
00:23:07.05\00:23:11.13
was saved, so what I am saying
00:23:11.14\00:23:13.15
if you keep you
eyes on Jesus even though
00:23:13.16\00:23:16.17
God's church and
God's people may have
00:23:16.18\00:23:19.31
some issues and
there are problems,
00:23:19.32\00:23:21.47
you don't study the
little filth in the Ark.
00:23:21.48\00:23:24.79
Keep your eyes on
Jesus for when the door
00:23:24.80\00:23:28.23
opens you will be
saved, and so you cannot
00:23:28.24\00:23:31.43
continue to make
that as an excuse.
00:23:31.44\00:23:34.61
In fact, what
I've discovered that
00:23:34.62\00:23:37.47
the bad things are
happening in church
00:23:37.48\00:23:39.53
and the bad things
are happening around you
00:23:39.54\00:23:41.70
is just manual for you to grow.
00:23:41.71\00:23:44.54
The fornicator in your church,
00:23:44.55\00:23:46.57
the adultery in
your place, wherever
00:23:46.58\00:23:49.03
they are the hypocrite,
all they are is manual
00:23:49.04\00:23:52.38
for you to grow in
your Christian experience.
00:23:52.39\00:23:54.65
How you treat
with them, how you pray
00:23:54.66\00:23:56.95
for them, how you talk to them,
00:23:56.96\00:23:58.58
so keep your eyes
on Jesus continually.
00:23:58.59\00:24:02.67
And when your eye
is focused on Jesus,
00:24:02.68\00:24:05.49
you will realize
that you keep going
00:24:05.50\00:24:08.71
up and up because the Bible says
00:24:08.72\00:24:10.81
the steps of a good
man is ordered by the Lord
00:24:10.82\00:24:13.98
but you have to keep your eyes
00:24:13.99\00:24:15.99
on the prize,
keep your eyes on Jesus
00:24:16.00\00:24:18.82
and you will
discover that your step
00:24:18.83\00:24:20.67
keep going up
because the Greek word
00:24:20.68\00:24:22.92
for the step, was
not a descending step
00:24:22.93\00:24:25.69
but it was
ascending step and so once
00:24:25.70\00:24:28.80
your eyes are on
Jesus you will discover
00:24:28.81\00:24:31.58
that you keep going
up and up and up and up
00:24:31.59\00:24:34.53
and you keep
progressing a new experience.
00:24:34.54\00:24:36.94
But if you keep
your eyes on men,
00:24:36.95\00:24:39.44
men will fail you,
men are not your measure.
00:24:39.45\00:24:43.75
Yes, we should be example, yes,
00:24:43.76\00:24:45.97
we should lead a
good life but at the end
00:24:45.98\00:24:48.45
of the day we may
fail, David failed,
00:24:48.46\00:24:51.23
Abraham failed, Samson failed,
00:24:51.24\00:24:54.10
Solomon like
many women he failed,
00:24:54.11\00:24:56.76
so they are not
the supreme example
00:24:56.77\00:24:59.31
but Jesus Christ
never ever fails,
00:24:59.32\00:25:04.41
so the key is, it is
Jesus it all comes down
00:25:04.42\00:25:08.03
to Jesus. And so I suggest to us
00:25:08.04\00:25:10.86
that when Jesus
is tarried behind
00:25:12.03\00:25:14.69
even though you
have been to church
00:25:14.70\00:25:17.39
and you have a lot
of religious activities
00:25:17.40\00:25:19.66
and you've done a lot of things,
00:25:19.67\00:25:21.46
even though that
happened when Jesus
00:25:21.47\00:25:24.17
tarried behind. Don't suppose
00:25:24.18\00:25:26.44
He is in your
company, just suppose
00:25:26.45\00:25:29.73
find out where He
is, pray with Him,
00:25:29.74\00:25:32.54
talk to Him,
find out where He is,
00:25:32.55\00:25:35.14
don't just
suppose. And when you have
00:25:35.15\00:25:37.99
discovered that he is not there,
00:25:38.00\00:25:39.79
don't look among your kinfolks,
00:25:39.80\00:25:41.59
don't look among
your friends and family,
00:25:41.60\00:25:44.17
dial up Jesus, let
Him send you a text.
00:25:44.18\00:25:47.41
This Bible, let
Him send you a text,
00:25:47.42\00:25:50.18
this is the real
text. Let Him send you
00:25:50.19\00:25:52.63
a word and you
will discover once you
00:25:52.64\00:25:55.78
turn around, once you
turn back to Jerusalem,
00:25:55.79\00:26:00.47
once you face
where you left him,
00:26:00.48\00:26:02.68
He will begin to woo
you in like Mary and Joseph,
00:26:02.69\00:26:06.33
and so when they
found him after three days,
00:26:06.34\00:26:08.97
after three days of
searching in sorrow,
00:26:08.98\00:26:13.09
the Bible says
because sometime it is painful
00:26:13.10\00:26:16.44
when you have left
Him to find Him back.
00:26:16.45\00:26:19.27
It is not easy some
of us are drug addicts,
00:26:19.28\00:26:22.00
recovering drug
addicts, because we left Him
00:26:22.01\00:26:24.39
ten years ago but
the thing is He takes us
00:26:24.40\00:26:27.44
where we are and
build us back up again.
00:26:27.45\00:26:32.31
So Jesus is
wonderful, so the thing is never
00:26:32.32\00:26:35.88
stop talking to
Jesus, talking to Jesus
00:26:35.89\00:26:39.96
is the key, having a
pray life, a wonderful
00:26:39.97\00:26:43.91
relationship
with Him continually
00:26:43.92\00:26:46.25
communicating and talking.
00:26:46.26\00:26:47.91
But even though you are silent
00:26:47.92\00:26:50.33
but if you are eyes I just focus
00:26:50.34\00:26:54.41
on the King of Kings
and the Lord of Lords.
00:26:54.42\00:26:57.55
You keep
looking at Jesus. Jesus,
00:26:57.56\00:26:59.86
where you are?
Oh I see you there,
00:26:59.87\00:27:01.41
I am seeing
you, I am seeing you,
00:27:01.42\00:27:03.28
you are there. Once you
continue looking at Him,
00:27:03.29\00:27:05.70
you will realize
that the path of the just
00:27:05.71\00:27:07.99
is like a
shining light that shine
00:27:08.00\00:27:10.47
more and more and
more until the perfect day.
00:27:10.48\00:27:14.40
And once you
continue following the lamb,
00:27:14.41\00:27:16.86
following Jesus,
you know where He leads,
00:27:16.87\00:27:19.58
He leads to
heaven and even though
00:27:19.59\00:27:23.35
while you are following Him,
00:27:23.36\00:27:24.74
you may face some
dubious and trying
00:27:24.75\00:27:27.29
circumstance. Once
you keep with Jesus,
00:27:27.30\00:27:30.11
He has already won the battle.
00:27:30.12\00:27:32.10
He has already fought the fight.
00:27:32.11\00:27:33.85
He got the strips for you.
00:27:33.86\00:27:35.52
He will make sure
that you have the victory.
00:27:35.53\00:27:37.98
The key is talk to
Jesus, look at Jesus
00:27:37.99\00:27:42.17
and if you
continue, continuously
00:27:42.18\00:27:45.20
every single day to
keep looking at Jesus,
00:27:45.21\00:27:49.83
you will have no
problem. You will gain
00:27:49.84\00:27:52.16
a victory because
Jesus is Lord and savior.
00:27:52.17\00:27:55.41