Turn to the Lord
now that we are thankful
00:00:35.73\00:00:38.63
for what He's done for us.
00:00:38.67\00:00:40.70
I just want to praise You
forever and ever and ever.
00:00:40.74\00:00:44.81
Let's sing it together.
00:00:44.84\00:00:46.31
I just want to praise You
00:00:46.34\00:00:49.44
Forever and ever and ever
00:00:49.48\00:00:57.02
For all You've done
00:00:57.05\00:01:01.26
You've done for me
00:01:01.29\00:01:06.09
Blessings and glory and honor
00:01:06.13\00:01:11.73
They all belong to You
00:01:11.77\00:01:16.30
Thank You Jesus for blessing me
00:01:16.34\00:01:22.78
Let's sing it again saying...
00:01:22.81\00:01:24.35
I just want to praise
You I just want to praise You
00:01:24.38\00:01:27.78
Forever Forever
00:01:27.82\00:01:30.29
And ever
00:01:30.32\00:01:31.65
And ever
00:01:31.69\00:01:33.02
And ever
00:01:33.05\00:01:34.39
And ever
00:01:34.42\00:01:35.76
For all
00:01:35.79\00:01:37.13
For all
00:01:37.16\00:01:38.89
You've done for me
00:01:38.93\00:01:44.10
Blessings and glory
00:01:44.13\00:01:45.47
Blessings and glory
00:01:45.50\00:01:47.34
And honor
00:01:47.37\00:01:48.70
And honor
00:01:48.74\00:01:50.07
They all belong to You
00:01:50.11\00:01:55.54
Thank You Jesus for blessing me
00:01:55.58\00:02:02.32
Take it up, take it up
a little higher saying...
00:02:02.35\00:02:05.19
I just want to praise You
00:02:05.22\00:02:08.09
Forever and ever and ever
00:02:08.12\00:02:15.46
For all You've done for me
00:02:15.50\00:02:22.97
Sing blessings and glory
00:02:23.00\00:02:24.77
Blessings and glory
00:02:24.81\00:02:26.47
And honor
00:02:26.51\00:02:27.84
And honor
00:02:27.88\00:02:29.21
They all belong to You
00:02:29.24\00:02:34.62
Thank you Jesus for blessing me
00:02:34.65\00:02:41.96
Take it up a
little higher, saying
00:02:41.99\00:02:44.63
I just want to praise You
00:02:44.66\00:02:47.30
Forever and ever and ever
00:02:47.33\00:02:54.60
For all You've done for me
00:02:54.64\00:03:02.01
Sing blessings and glory
00:03:02.04\00:03:03.75
Blessings and glory
00:03:03.78\00:03:05.48
And honor
00:03:05.51\00:03:06.85
And honor
00:03:06.88\00:03:08.22
They all belong to You
00:03:08.25\00:03:11.35
Sing blessings and glory
00:03:11.39\00:03:13.15
Blessings and glory
00:03:13.19\00:03:15.26
And honor
00:03:15.29\00:03:16.62
And honor
00:03:16.66\00:03:17.99
They all belong to You
00:03:18.03\00:03:21.26
Sing blessings and glory
00:03:21.30\00:03:23.00
Blessings and glory
00:03:23.03\00:03:24.87
And honor
00:03:24.90\00:03:26.23
And honor
00:03:26.27\00:03:27.60
They all belong to You
00:03:27.64\00:03:30.97
Sing blessings and glory
00:03:31.01\00:03:32.87
Blessings and glory
00:03:32.91\00:03:34.34
And honor
00:03:34.38\00:03:35.71
And honor
00:03:35.74\00:03:37.08
They all belong to You
00:03:37.11\00:03:41.02
Thank you Jesus
00:03:41.05\00:03:42.38
Thank you Jesus
00:03:42.42\00:03:45.12
For blessing me
00:03:45.15\00:03:50.79
Sing halleluiah
00:03:50.83\00:03:54.96
I just want to praise You
forever and ever and ever.
00:03:55.00\00:04:00.87
And if you believe
that we should praise Him
00:04:00.90\00:04:02.97
forever and ever and ever,
00:04:03.00\00:04:06.78
then I need the church to say...
00:04:06.81\00:04:09.11
Amen.
00:04:09.14\00:04:10.95
And if You believe that
He's gonna bless you in 2012
00:04:10.98\00:04:14.92
with an abundance so big,
00:04:14.95\00:04:16.45
you won't have room
enough to receive it,
00:04:16.48\00:04:19.29
I need for the church to say...
00:04:19.32\00:04:21.52
Amen. Halleluiah.
00:04:21.56\00:04:24.79
Let's sing this song
00:04:24.83\00:04:27.30
and it's the
simple song just says...
00:04:27.33\00:04:31.03
Let the church say amen
00:04:31.07\00:04:36.37
Let the church
00:04:39.31\00:04:42.64
Let us say amen
00:04:42.68\00:04:46.68
God has spoken
00:04:46.72\00:04:50.49
So let the church
00:04:50.52\00:04:53.96
Let us say amen
00:04:53.99\00:04:58.49
Everybody in the building
00:04:58.53\00:05:00.86
Let the church
00:05:00.90\00:05:02.23
Let the church say amen
00:05:02.26\00:05:07.60
Let us say amen
00:05:07.64\00:05:09.30
Let the church say amen
00:05:09.34\00:05:15.94
God is so good
00:05:15.98\00:05:17.31
God is so good
00:05:17.35\00:05:20.92
Let the church say amen
00:05:20.95\00:05:22.28
Let us say amen
00:05:22.32\00:05:27.46
And this is what I
want you to say amen to...
00:05:27.49\00:05:32.93
When you are hungry
00:05:32.96\00:05:34.56
Amen
00:05:34.60\00:05:36.80
When you are thirsty
00:05:36.83\00:05:38.17
Amen
00:05:38.20\00:05:40.77
You're in trouble
00:05:40.80\00:05:42.14
Amen
00:05:42.17\00:05:44.47
Depressed
00:05:44.51\00:05:45.84
Amen
00:05:45.87\00:05:48.28
Persecuted
00:05:48.31\00:05:49.64
Amen
00:05:49.68\00:05:52.01
You're in doubt
00:05:52.05\00:05:53.38
Amen
00:05:53.42\00:05:55.75
When you are lonely
00:05:55.78\00:05:57.12
Amen
00:05:57.15\00:05:59.45
When you are sad
00:05:59.49\00:06:00.96
Amen
00:06:00.99\00:06:02.42
You need to say amen
00:06:02.46\00:06:04.46
Amen
00:06:04.49\00:06:07.20
Say amen
00:06:07.23\00:06:08.56
Amen
00:06:08.60\00:06:12.07
Amen
00:06:12.10\00:06:14.44
Just say amen
00:06:14.47\00:06:15.90
Amen
00:06:15.94\00:06:17.61
God has spoken
00:06:17.64\00:06:21.31
Let the church say amen
00:06:21.34\00:06:29.28
You all sing with me
let the church say amen
00:06:29.32\00:06:32.52
Let the church say amen
00:06:32.55\00:06:40.06
Let the church say amen
00:06:40.10\00:06:47.70
God has spoken
00:06:47.74\00:06:51.57
Let the church say amen
00:06:51.61\00:06:59.01
One more time let
the church say amen
00:06:59.05\00:07:02.78
Let the church say amen
00:07:02.82\00:07:09.09
Let the church say amen
00:07:09.12\00:07:10.76
Let the church say amen
00:07:10.79\00:07:16.30
God has spoken
00:07:16.33\00:07:18.03
God has spoken
00:07:18.07\00:07:21.77
Let the church say amen
00:07:21.80\00:07:29.31
Let us say amen
00:07:29.34\00:07:33.01
God has spoken
00:07:33.05\00:07:36.82
Let the church say
00:07:36.85\00:07:43.26
Halleluiah
00:07:43.29\00:07:45.93
For salvation and glory
00:07:45.96\00:07:49.33
We're gonna praise
the Lord right here
00:07:49.36\00:07:51.13
Honor and power
unto the Lord, our God
00:07:51.17\00:07:58.37
For the Lord, our God is mighty
00:07:58.41\00:08:00.14
For the Lord, our God is mighty
00:08:00.18\00:08:03.78
And the Lord,
our God is omnipotent
00:08:03.81\00:08:05.65
The Lord, our God is omnipotent
00:08:05.68\00:08:08.85
The Lord The Lord, our God,
00:08:08.88\00:08:14.72
He is wonderful
00:08:14.76\00:08:18.19
Come on, altos
00:08:18.23\00:08:19.89
All praises
00:08:19.93\00:08:23.60
Be to the King of Kings
00:08:23.63\00:08:30.01
And the Lord, our God
00:08:30.04\00:08:35.08
He is wonderful
00:08:35.11\00:08:41.48
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
00:08:41.52\00:08:48.82
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
00:08:48.86\00:08:52.46
And the Lord, our God
00:08:52.49\00:08:55.53
He is wonderful
00:08:55.56\00:08:59.10
Come on, tenors, sing the song
00:08:59.13\00:09:03.37
Hallelujah, salvation and glory
00:09:03.41\00:09:10.71
And the Lord, our God
00:09:10.75\00:09:14.78
He is wonderful
00:09:14.82\00:09:16.15
He is wonderful
00:09:16.18\00:09:20.19
All praises
00:09:20.22\00:09:21.82
All praises be
to the King of Kings
00:09:21.86\00:09:24.06
Hallelujah, salvation and glory
00:09:24.09\00:09:31.33
And the Lord, our God
00:09:31.37\00:09:33.00
Honor and power
00:09:33.03\00:09:36.54
He is wonderful
00:09:36.57\00:09:40.64
Come on, church. Sing it.
00:09:40.68\00:09:42.14
All praises be
to the King of Kings
00:09:42.18\00:09:44.11
Hallelujah, salvation and glory
00:09:44.15\00:09:51.95
And the Lord, our God,
00:09:51.99\00:09:57.03
He is wonderful
00:09:57.06\00:10:01.13
All praises be
00:10:01.16\00:10:03.16
All praises be
to the King of Kings
00:10:03.20\00:10:04.87
Hallelujah
00:10:04.90\00:10:08.27
Salvation and glory
00:10:08.30\00:10:13.74
Honor and power
we love You, Lord
00:10:13.78\00:10:17.65
He is
00:10:17.68\00:10:19.25
Wonderful
00:10:19.28\00:10:26.72
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
00:10:26.76\00:10:29.26
Great
00:10:54.35\00:10:57.19
Is Thy faithfulness
00:10:57.22\00:11:03.73
O God
00:11:03.76\00:11:07.43
My Father
00:11:07.46\00:11:13.50
There is no shadow
00:11:13.54\00:11:20.78
Of turning
00:11:20.81\00:11:24.28
With Thee
00:11:24.31\00:11:30.39
Thou changest not
00:11:30.42\00:11:36.19
Thy compassions
00:11:36.22\00:11:39.83
They fail not
00:11:39.86\00:11:44.57
As Thou hast been
00:11:44.60\00:11:50.07
Thou forever
00:11:50.11\00:11:53.38
Thou forever
00:11:53.41\00:11:56.61
Wilt be
00:11:56.64\00:11:58.31
'Cause great is
00:12:02.48\00:12:05.89
Thy faithfulness
00:12:05.92\00:12:11.93
Great is
00:12:11.96\00:12:14.56
Thy faithfulness
00:12:14.60\00:12:21.07
Morning
00:12:21.10\00:12:23.84
By morning
00:12:23.87\00:12:29.64
New mercies
00:12:29.68\00:12:33.42
I see
00:12:33.45\00:12:40.12
All
00:12:40.16\00:12:42.22
I have needed
00:12:42.26\00:12:50.13
Thy hand
00:12:50.17\00:12:53.27
Hath provided
00:12:53.30\00:13:00.48
Great is
00:13:00.51\00:13:05.68
Thy faithfulness
00:13:05.71\00:13:12.62
Oh, oh, Lord,
00:13:12.65\00:13:17.96
Unto, unto me
00:13:17.99\00:13:24.13
Morning by morning
00:13:28.84\00:13:35.41
New mercies
00:13:35.44\00:13:40.55
I see
00:13:40.58\00:13:44.09
Oh, Lord
00:13:44.12\00:13:50.56
Great is Thy faithfulness
00:13:50.59\00:13:56.03
Unto me
00:13:56.06\00:14:00.30
Oh, Lord, unto me
00:14:00.34\00:14:07.78
Unto me
00:14:07.81\00:14:09.21
Oh, Lord
00:14:09.24\00:14:12.55
God is
00:14:17.82\00:14:19.39
Oh, Lord
00:14:19.42\00:14:21.99
God is
00:14:22.02\00:14:27.20
He is faithful
00:14:27.23\00:14:29.86
God is
00:14:34.64\00:14:36.71
Oh, yes, God is
00:14:36.74\00:14:38.77
God is
00:14:38.81\00:14:44.08
He is faithful
00:14:44.11\00:14:47.92
I know He is
00:14:47.95\00:14:51.52
God is
00:14:51.55\00:14:54.22
So faithful
00:14:54.26\00:14:55.59
God is
00:14:55.62\00:15:00.76
He is faithful
00:15:00.80\00:15:03.60
Great is Thy faithfulness
00:15:06.87\00:15:12.77
Unto me
00:15:12.81\00:15:17.25
Oh, Lord, our God
00:15:17.28\00:15:21.85
Unto me
00:15:21.88\00:15:25.05
Oh, Lord
00:15:25.09\00:15:32.33
Great is
00:15:32.36\00:15:34.50
Thy faithfulness
00:15:34.53\00:15:40.70
Great is
00:15:40.74\00:15:43.24
Is Thy faithfulness
00:15:43.27\00:15:49.14
Morning by morning
00:15:49.18\00:15:55.95
His mercies
00:15:55.98\00:16:00.79
I see
00:16:00.82\00:16:02.79
Great is Thy faithfulness
00:16:06.70\00:16:12.37
Unto me
00:16:12.40\00:16:16.54
Oh, Lord
00:16:16.57\00:16:21.01
Unto me
00:16:21.04\00:16:25.25
Oh, Lord
00:16:25.28\00:16:29.72
Unto me
00:16:29.75\00:16:33.96
Oh, Lord
00:16:33.99\00:16:38.26
Unto me
00:16:38.29\00:16:42.63
Oh, Lord
00:16:42.66\00:16:46.94
Unto me
00:16:46.97\00:16:50.04
Great is Thy faithfulness
00:16:50.07\00:16:54.04
Morning by morning
00:16:54.08\00:16:58.15
New mercies I see
00:16:58.18\00:17:00.18
Oh, Lord Unto me
00:17:03.89\00:17:08.06
Oh, Lord
00:17:08.09\00:17:12.23
Unto me
00:17:12.26\00:17:15.36
Unto me Lord.
00:17:20.67\00:17:26.91
I certainly
appreciated the worship
00:17:26.94\00:17:30.38
in our service today.
00:17:30.41\00:17:32.05
Amen.
00:17:32.08\00:17:33.78
I appreciated the
ministry of music today.
00:17:33.82\00:17:36.75
Amen
00:17:36.79\00:17:38.49
I appreciated the call today.
00:17:38.52\00:17:41.02
By the way, you're
gonna be home next week.
00:17:41.06\00:17:47.83
And of course,
00:17:47.86\00:17:51.20
it's always good
00:17:51.23\00:17:54.40
when the saints
of God just pause
00:17:54.44\00:17:56.81
and thank God for
another year's journey.
00:17:56.84\00:18:00.34
As Donna and I were
coming to service this morning,
00:18:03.78\00:18:06.82
we had to pause
for a funeral train.
00:18:06.85\00:18:14.32
It occurred to me that
00:18:14.36\00:18:17.66
this close to
the end of the year
00:18:17.69\00:18:19.46
somebody didn't make it.
00:18:19.49\00:18:20.83
This close and
they got put to sleep.
00:18:27.24\00:18:32.94
And yet, God
allow us to come today.
00:18:32.97\00:18:34.98
Amen.
00:18:35.01\00:18:37.65
We move, breathe, have heartbeat
00:18:37.68\00:18:41.82
and we all not
take that for granted.
00:18:41.85\00:18:43.79
Amen.
00:18:43.82\00:18:46.76
Because although the New
Year starts in just a few hours.
00:18:46.79\00:18:51.59
Just as quickly our
past can you slip out.
00:18:51.63\00:18:54.43
Amen.
00:18:54.46\00:18:56.93
And the next choice,
00:18:56.97\00:18:59.03
the next voice
that you will hear
00:18:59.07\00:19:02.24
will be that of the father
00:19:02.27\00:19:05.37
speaking eternal commendation
00:19:05.41\00:19:10.61
or eternal condemnation.
00:19:10.65\00:19:12.65
I've been led today
to divert your attention
00:19:17.12\00:19:19.69
to Revelation
the third chapter...
00:19:19.72\00:19:22.76
Revelation the third chapter,
I want to keep a promise
00:19:26.19\00:19:29.40
I made to you
early about the sermon.
00:19:29.43\00:19:33.67
I was going to put together
00:19:33.70\00:19:37.61
Revelation the third chapter.
00:19:37.64\00:19:41.71
We're going to
begin with verse 14.
00:19:41.74\00:19:44.65
Revelation the third chapter,
00:19:44.68\00:19:49.48
beginning with verse 14.
00:19:49.52\00:19:53.82
There you'll find
these words recalling...
00:19:53.86\00:19:56.62
"And unto the
angel of the church
00:20:00.40\00:20:03.06
of the Laodiceans write,
00:20:03.10\00:20:06.33
These things saith the Amen,
00:20:06.37\00:20:09.44
the faithful and true witness,
00:20:09.47\00:20:12.11
the beginning of
the creation of God."
00:20:12.14\00:20:15.94
What does he say?
00:20:15.98\00:20:18.65
"I know thy works, that
thou art neither," what?
00:20:18.68\00:20:23.95
"Cold nor hot: I would
that thou was cold or hot.
00:20:23.99\00:20:30.16
So then because
thou art lukewarm,
00:20:30.19\00:20:32.89
and neither cold nor
hot," what will I do?
00:20:32.93\00:20:37.57
"Spue thee out of my mouth.
00:20:37.60\00:20:40.20
Because thou
sayest, I," what? "Rich."
00:20:40.24\00:20:43.34
What else?
"Increased with goods."
00:20:43.37\00:20:44.91
And what else?
00:20:44.94\00:20:46.74
"And knowest not
that thou art," what?
00:20:46.78\00:20:49.48
What else? "Miserable."
00:20:49.51\00:20:50.85
What else? "Poor."
00:20:50.88\00:20:52.21
What else? "Blind."
00:20:52.25\00:20:53.58
What else? "Naked."
00:20:53.62\00:20:54.95
"I counsel thee to buy of
me gold tried in the fire,
00:20:54.98\00:21:00.89
that thou mayest be
rich, and white raiment,
00:21:00.92\00:21:05.13
thou mayest be clothed,
00:21:05.16\00:21:06.49
and that the shame of
thy nakedness do not appear,
00:21:06.53\00:21:10.97
and anoint thine
eyes with eyesalve,
00:21:11.00\00:21:14.44
that thou mayest see."
00:21:14.47\00:21:18.57
Think with me on the theme,
00:21:18.61\00:21:21.14
"Lasiks for Laodicea."
00:21:21.18\00:21:23.45
All right.
00:21:23.48\00:21:27.92
In the November issue
of Harvard Business Review,
00:21:27.95\00:21:33.89
Kevin Peters, the president of
00:21:33.92\00:21:37.59
Office Depot for North America
00:21:37.63\00:21:42.40
was looking one day at
some startling statistics.
00:21:42.43\00:21:47.47
He noticed that
their sales were dipping
00:21:47.50\00:21:52.47
but their customer
satisfaction scores
00:21:52.51\00:21:55.48
were going through the roof.
00:21:55.51\00:21:59.55
He's restless, kept wondering,
what is this all about?
00:21:59.58\00:22:02.88
And in order to get a
hand of all the situation,
00:22:02.92\00:22:06.29
he decide to do
an undercover boss.
00:22:06.32\00:22:12.89
He went to 17 of
his stores in 15 states
00:22:12.93\00:22:18.03
and just acted like
one of the casual shoppers.
00:22:18.07\00:22:23.30
He noticed while in his
store that there was a problem.
00:22:23.34\00:22:28.91
The problem was this,
00:22:28.94\00:22:31.18
the customer satisfaction survey
00:22:31.21\00:22:34.45
did not ask the right questions.
00:22:34.48\00:22:38.42
The questions that
were on the survey said,
00:22:38.45\00:22:41.42
"Were the floors clean?"
00:22:41.46\00:22:45.63
"Were the bathrooms clean?"
00:22:45.66\00:22:49.06
And unless you got an emergency,
00:22:49.10\00:22:51.33
you wouldn't know about
the bathrooms, would you?
00:22:51.37\00:22:56.71
He determined that
what they were missing
00:22:56.74\00:23:01.14
is what customers
really care about.
00:23:01.18\00:23:04.81
They care about the lack
of customer-friendly service.
00:23:04.85\00:23:10.15
The inability to
find what they needed,
00:23:10.19\00:23:13.76
or being able to
solve the problem
00:23:13.79\00:23:16.32
that they came
into the store with.
00:23:16.36\00:23:18.36
And so Peters came
up with three strategies
00:23:18.39\00:23:22.96
to ameliorate the situation.
00:23:23.00\00:23:24.63
The first strategy was this,
00:23:24.67\00:23:26.13
he reduced the size of the store
00:23:26.17\00:23:28.77
by providing less of the
items that people didn't need.
00:23:28.80\00:23:34.24
The second strategy,
00:23:34.28\00:23:36.18
he improved the in store
customer service experience,
00:23:36.21\00:23:41.38
which can be a real deal breaker
00:23:41.42\00:23:44.75
in a commodities-driven society.
00:23:44.79\00:23:49.59
And third, he looked
beyond office products
00:23:49.62\00:23:54.73
to see what other products
he could provide the customers.
00:23:54.76\00:23:58.83
And so he came up with copying
and printing and shipping
00:23:58.87\00:24:02.94
and installing
software and fixing computers.
00:24:02.97\00:24:06.78
All because Kevin Peters
was ready to look at himself
00:24:06.81\00:24:12.41
and ask the right questions.
00:24:12.45\00:24:17.42
I once heard that
an unquestioned faith
00:24:17.45\00:24:21.42
isn't worth having
00:24:21.46\00:24:24.29
and an unquestioned
life isn't worth living.
00:24:24.33\00:24:29.16
Let me say that again.
00:24:29.20\00:24:31.00
An unquestioned
faith isn't worth having
00:24:31.03\00:24:36.94
and an unquestioned
life isn't worth living.
00:24:36.97\00:24:40.91
Today we stand on
because of what is arguably
00:24:40.94\00:24:46.21
the most introspective
holiday of the year,
00:24:46.25\00:24:50.35
New Year's Day.
00:24:50.39\00:24:53.12
Like our quarterly
communion services,
00:24:53.15\00:24:57.06
New Year's is a
natural time for introspection.
00:24:57.09\00:25:02.26
Introspection is the
process of looking honestly
00:25:02.30\00:25:07.64
and openly and
objectively at whom?
00:25:07.67\00:25:13.01
Yourself.
00:25:13.04\00:25:15.01
It's being willing
to ask the question
00:25:15.04\00:25:17.15
what do I have
to do to get better?
00:25:17.18\00:25:20.25
What do I have to
change about myself?
00:25:20.28\00:25:24.02
How can I
progress in the new year?
00:25:24.05\00:25:28.99
Introspection gives
birth to resolutions.
00:25:29.02\00:25:35.36
In the January issue of Time
Magazine for this past year,
00:25:35.40\00:25:40.30
Time Magazine listed
the top ten resolutions
00:25:40.34\00:25:44.94
that people
periodically make and break.
00:25:44.97\00:25:51.65
I want to bring it to you,
I want to present it to you
00:25:51.68\00:25:53.88
in Debbie Devlin type
fashion, is that all right?
00:25:53.92\00:25:57.59
Number ten, drink less.
00:25:57.62\00:26:03.22
Number nine, you all
don't have to follow Debbie.
00:26:03.26\00:26:06.09
Number nine, volunteer more.
00:26:12.13\00:26:16.07
Number eight, be less stressed.
00:26:16.10\00:26:20.18
Number seven,
travel to new places.
00:26:23.65\00:26:27.45
Number six, spend
more time with the family.
00:26:27.48\00:26:32.89
Number five, get out of
debt and save some money.
00:26:32.92\00:26:39.96
Number four, eat healthier.
00:26:40.00\00:26:44.20
Number three,
learn something new.
00:26:44.23\00:26:48.84
Number two, quit smoking.
00:26:48.87\00:26:52.84
What do you
think number one was?
00:26:52.87\00:26:56.34
Lose weight.
00:26:56.38\00:27:00.38
Lose weight.
00:27:00.42\00:27:04.92
I've guys come and tell me
00:27:04.95\00:27:06.29
they were
cleaning up their closets,
00:27:06.32\00:27:09.49
get rid of some clothes,
00:27:09.52\00:27:13.23
as if they're gonna lose
weight and get back here.
00:27:13.26\00:27:17.83
You've been fat for 10 years.
00:27:17.87\00:27:21.60
Enjoy yourself.
00:27:21.64\00:27:24.04
Be fat, be happy.
00:27:24.07\00:27:27.28
Give it a impulse
that body will screw it.
00:27:27.31\00:27:30.91
Listen, listen, I'm told,
00:27:30.95\00:27:36.79
I'm told that resolutions
00:27:36.82\00:27:39.75
rarely get out of
the month of January.
00:27:39.79\00:27:42.02
Perhaps it's
because researchers say
00:27:45.93\00:27:48.86
that it takes
somewhere between 21 and 28 days
00:27:48.90\00:27:52.30
to form a habit.
00:27:52.33\00:27:55.60
The start is good.
00:27:55.64\00:27:58.17
You end up
beginning the year by saying,
00:27:58.21\00:28:00.31
"I'll read the Bible through."
00:28:00.34\00:28:03.58
And you wake up on the
first and by the Sabbath,
00:28:03.61\00:28:07.85
you'd have missed
chapter 3, 4 and 5,
00:28:07.88\00:28:10.49
so you start up with 6 and 7
00:28:16.99\00:28:20.70
but you are too discouraged
to go on because you know
00:28:20.73\00:28:24.00
you missed 4, 5 and 6 and
so you just give it up and say,
00:28:24.03\00:28:28.64
"I'll start again next year."
00:28:28.67\00:28:30.31
There was a researcher
by the name of Ann Graybiel
00:28:35.11\00:28:37.31
of MIT's McGovern Institute,
00:28:37.35\00:28:39.41
whose research shown
00:28:39.45\00:28:41.52
that neurons change
their firing patterns
00:28:41.55\00:28:45.59
when habits are learned,
and then change them again
00:28:45.62\00:28:49.72
when habits are unlearned.
00:28:49.76\00:28:53.19
The interesting
thing about that is
00:28:53.23\00:28:55.90
no habit is ever forgotten.
00:28:55.93\00:28:59.63
Whatever you have
formed into a habit,
00:28:59.67\00:29:02.37
it stays there for life.
00:29:02.40\00:29:06.64
You hope that their only neurons
00:29:06.68\00:29:08.61
that are firing
are the good ones,
00:29:08.64\00:29:10.51
isn't that right?
00:29:10.55\00:29:12.01
But every now and then,
00:29:12.05\00:29:14.75
something will
trigger the old neurons.
00:29:14.78\00:29:18.42
It's like a car that's
been sitting up in the driveway
00:29:18.45\00:29:21.72
and you hadn't
started it up in a long time.
00:29:21.76\00:29:24.86
In fact, your
wife is bugging you
00:29:24.89\00:29:27.16
to get that thing
out of the driveway
00:29:27.20\00:29:29.60
'cause it's been
sitting up so long.
00:29:29.63\00:29:31.23
And you go out
there and stick the key in
00:29:31.27\00:29:33.77
and you just--
00:29:33.80\00:29:36.14
and all of a
sudden it turns over,
00:29:36.17\00:29:39.07
scares you to
death and the neighbors.
00:29:39.11\00:29:41.11
You thought it was dead
00:29:45.08\00:29:48.68
but there's still some
life left in the engine.
00:29:48.72\00:29:52.39
The same is true with the
bad habits that we create.
00:29:52.42\00:29:56.66
You think they're dead
00:29:56.69\00:29:58.13
because you haven't
taken a trip in 20 years
00:29:58.16\00:30:01.73
but let something happen
in rut and you get stressed.
00:30:01.76\00:30:08.27
And all of a sudden you wondered
00:30:08.30\00:30:10.14
whatever happened to
your good buddy Johnny.
00:30:10.17\00:30:15.08
Somebody ought to know
what that means, don't you?
00:30:15.11\00:30:17.01
He just got it.
00:30:23.05\00:30:27.86
It's still there.
00:30:27.89\00:30:30.06
It's still there. It
hasn't gone anywhere.
00:30:30.09\00:30:36.77
Unfortunately, unfortunately,
00:30:36.80\00:30:41.20
introspection sometimes
gives birth to recriminations.
00:30:41.24\00:30:48.44
It gives birth to resolutions
00:30:48.48\00:30:50.41
but sometimes it also
gives birth to recriminations.
00:30:50.45\00:30:57.45
Remember now, I
said that introspection
00:30:57.49\00:30:59.62
was the process
of looking at who?
00:30:59.65\00:31:03.39
Yourself.
00:31:03.43\00:31:05.83
Looking at yourself.
00:31:05.86\00:31:07.20
But because we have
powerful subconscious filters,
00:31:07.23\00:31:11.33
our introspection often evolves
00:31:11.37\00:31:15.34
from being an
experience of self examination
00:31:15.37\00:31:18.77
toward experience
of other examination.
00:31:18.81\00:31:24.11
I want to see what
you've got to do to change.
00:31:24.15\00:31:27.82
I want to see what
you need to do to improve.
00:31:27.85\00:31:32.22
Somehow along the way
the spotlight and the camera
00:31:32.25\00:31:35.82
gets off from us and
it goes to somebody else.
00:31:35.86\00:31:42.53
What's
interesting about that is,
00:31:42.56\00:31:45.67
that when we move the
spotlight off of ourselves,
00:31:45.70\00:31:49.60
we miss a very
rich and deep blessing
00:31:49.64\00:31:53.78
that I'm going to
pull out in just a moment.
00:31:53.81\00:31:56.04
So stay with me.
00:31:56.08\00:31:59.51
The last time I
looked in the dictionary,
00:31:59.55\00:32:02.72
the word introspection
began with an I, not Y.
00:32:02.75\00:32:06.59
Therefore, the
camera has to stay on me
00:32:09.92\00:32:14.80
if I am ever going
to see the blessing
00:32:14.83\00:32:19.57
that God has in store for me.
00:32:19.60\00:32:22.20
Why are we reluctant to
keep the spotlight on ourselves?
00:32:22.24\00:32:26.98
Could it be that if we
see ourselves too clearly
00:32:27.01\00:32:31.55
that we might depress ourselves?
00:32:31.58\00:32:35.38
Why does it seem
easier to focus on the foibles
00:32:35.42\00:32:39.45
of others to the
discard of our own?
00:32:39.49\00:32:45.06
Could it be, could it be
that introspection exposes
00:32:45.09\00:32:50.00
the low self esteem
I've had about myself?
00:32:50.03\00:32:53.03
So in order to
feel good about myself,
00:32:53.07\00:32:55.57
I got to find something
wrong with somebody else,
00:32:55.60\00:32:58.87
so that I could
feel good about myself.
00:32:58.91\00:33:01.88
Why is it?
00:33:01.91\00:33:04.28
Why is it that when it
comes to introspection,
00:33:04.31\00:33:09.02
our visual acuity
is sometimes diminished
00:33:09.05\00:33:13.05
but all of a sudden,
00:33:13.09\00:33:14.52
our visual acuity is
increased exponentially
00:33:14.56\00:33:18.66
when I see
something in somebody else.
00:33:18.69\00:33:21.76
No matter how we shift
the spotlight or the camera,
00:33:24.73\00:33:31.67
God really knows
what's happening with us
00:33:31.71\00:33:36.85
and so He shifts the spotlight
and the camera back to us.
00:33:36.88\00:33:43.15
Here it is,
Revelation, the third chapter.
00:33:43.18\00:33:45.75
He puts it back on us.
00:33:45.79\00:33:47.89
Revelation, the third chapter.
00:33:47.92\00:33:50.16
In Revelation the third chapter,
00:33:50.19\00:33:51.53
we are introduced to a
group of people called who?
00:33:51.56\00:33:54.86
The Laodiceans. The Laodiceans.
00:33:54.90\00:33:58.00
They are a steady in contrast.
00:33:58.03\00:34:00.10
Look at verse 17
so you can see here.
00:34:00.14\00:34:02.27
Look at the contrast.
00:34:02.30\00:34:03.64
"Because thou sayest," what?
00:34:03.67\00:34:05.94
"I am rich,
increased with goods,
00:34:05.97\00:34:08.61
have need of
nothing and knowest not
00:34:08.64\00:34:11.68
that thou art
wretched and miserable
00:34:11.71\00:34:15.05
and poor and
blind," and what else?
00:34:15.08\00:34:19.09
"And naked."
00:34:19.12\00:34:20.49
Notice that when
they look at themselves,
00:34:20.52\00:34:25.46
they see
themselves as being what?
00:34:25.49\00:34:28.66
Rich, increased with
goods and in need of nothing
00:34:28.70\00:34:34.40
but when God puts
the spotlight on them,
00:34:34.44\00:34:37.81
God sees something different.
00:34:37.84\00:34:40.28
He says what I see is
somebody who is wretched,
00:34:40.31\00:34:44.61
who's miserable, who's
poor, who's blind, who's naked.
00:34:44.65\00:34:51.35
Isn't it funny how
when we look at ourselves,
00:34:51.39\00:34:54.42
we can always
see the good in us,
00:34:54.46\00:34:56.46
so, but when God looks at us,
00:34:56.49\00:34:58.53
He sees far more than
we see of our own selves.
00:34:58.56\00:35:05.60
The Laodiceans prided themselves
00:35:05.63\00:35:11.11
on their material prosperity.
00:35:11.14\00:35:15.94
Back in chapter
2 of Revelation 2,
00:35:15.98\00:35:18.88
there was a church
mentioned there called Smyrna.
00:35:18.91\00:35:22.18
And Smyrna, Smyrna
has commendation from God
00:35:22.22\00:35:26.72
because they are in fact,
00:35:26.76\00:35:28.76
that's the
church of persecution,
00:35:28.79\00:35:30.46
they are in fact,
materially bereft.
00:35:30.49\00:35:35.30
However, they
are spiritually rich.
00:35:35.33\00:35:40.30
What a contrast, to Laodicea
00:35:40.34\00:35:42.67
who is materially rich
00:35:42.70\00:35:45.77
but God says, you
are spiritually poor.
00:35:45.81\00:35:50.45
God will always
straighten us out
00:35:50.48\00:35:52.65
if we can't see
ourselves the way we really are.
00:35:52.68\00:35:56.32
Look at verse
18, look at verse 18.
00:35:56.35\00:35:58.32
"I counsel thee
to buy of me," what?
00:35:58.35\00:36:02.32
"Gold tried in the fire,
that thou mayest be," what?
00:36:02.36\00:36:07.06
"Rich and white
raiment, thou mayest be clothed,
00:36:07.10\00:36:10.83
and that the shame of
thy nakedness do not appear
00:36:10.87\00:36:17.37
and anoint thine
eyes with, "what?
00:36:17.41\00:36:19.87
"Eyesalve, that
thou mayest see."
00:36:19.91\00:36:24.38
God's solution
for their problem is,
00:36:24.41\00:36:29.42
you got to look again.
00:36:29.45\00:36:33.29
You got to take another look.
00:36:33.32\00:36:35.49
According to the
ancient Greek geographer Strabo,
00:36:35.52\00:36:40.50
residing within
the city of Laodicea,
00:36:40.53\00:36:43.97
was a renown
ophthalmologist who was known
00:36:44.00\00:36:49.20
for his eye
lotions that were made
00:36:49.24\00:36:52.54
out of the Phrygian
powder. He had a way.
00:36:52.57\00:36:59.41
Somehow he had built a
reputation of helping people
00:36:59.45\00:37:03.62
to see clearer
through this powder.
00:37:03.65\00:37:08.32
No doubt if he
were around today,
00:37:08.36\00:37:11.06
he would not be
using Phrygian powder,
00:37:11.09\00:37:15.00
but in fact, he would be using
00:37:15.03\00:37:17.33
another method to improve sight.
00:37:17.37\00:37:19.87
That method would
be called what? Lasiks.
00:37:19.90\00:37:26.17
If he were
correct, technically correct
00:37:26.21\00:37:28.54
in his profession,
then he would stay abreast
00:37:28.58\00:37:31.85
with the most modern
conveniences and prescription.
00:37:31.88\00:37:36.22
He would be
using Lasiks surgery.
00:37:36.25\00:37:41.26
Now Lasiks, I am
told is a surgery
00:37:41.29\00:37:45.23
where a laser is used,
00:37:45.26\00:37:47.36
a laser beam is used to reshape
the tissue of the cornea.
00:37:47.40\00:37:54.34
And by reshaping the
tissue of the cornea,
00:37:54.37\00:37:58.07
it is supposed to
render the individual
00:37:58.11\00:38:01.71
with the ability
to see clearer up
00:38:01.74\00:38:04.55
than when they first
gave here to the doctor.
00:38:04.58\00:38:08.15
In other words,
00:38:08.18\00:38:09.52
they can take their
glasses off and throw them down.
00:38:09.55\00:38:13.25
I'm not going to
do that this morning
00:38:13.29\00:38:15.76
or somebody else will
have to finish the message.
00:38:15.79\00:38:21.30
You can take, you take,
what's those little things?
00:38:21.33\00:38:26.30
Contact lenses.
00:38:26.33\00:38:27.67
Contact lenses.
00:38:27.70\00:38:29.80
And just flick
them out the window
00:38:29.84\00:38:33.04
after you have
Lasiks surgery supposedly.
00:38:33.07\00:38:39.01
Today, today,
today God has asked us
00:38:39.05\00:38:44.49
to come to Him
and rather than to use
00:38:44.52\00:38:49.82
the ancient
methods of their day,
00:38:49.86\00:38:51.83
God wants to use a
Lasiks on our eyesight today.
00:38:51.86\00:38:58.00
I want you to see.
00:38:58.03\00:38:59.37
It was in the scripture
reading that Morgan today
00:38:59.40\00:39:02.44
in Romans 5:8.
00:39:02.47\00:39:04.74
It's my favorite passage.
00:39:04.77\00:39:06.37
It says, "But God hath
commendeth His love toward us,
00:39:06.41\00:39:10.85
in that, while we were," what?
00:39:10.88\00:39:12.88
"Yet sinners." "Yet sinners."
00:39:12.91\00:39:14.95
What did Christ do?
00:39:14.98\00:39:16.79
"Christ died for us."
00:39:16.82\00:39:18.15
Introspection is
birth to redemption.
00:39:18.19\00:39:22.69
The only way you
will be able to see
00:39:22.72\00:39:26.73
God's love in its full
clarity is to remove the mask,
00:39:26.76\00:39:33.74
remove the
blinders, remove the buffers,
00:39:33.77\00:39:39.47
remove the filters
that we place on ourselves,
00:39:39.51\00:39:43.51
so that we can
really see ourselves.
00:39:43.55\00:39:46.31
The only way you can
appreciate God's love
00:39:46.35\00:39:49.95
in all of its
fullness and ferity
00:39:49.98\00:39:52.82
is to see it
juxtaposed against --
00:39:52.85\00:39:56.76
when I know how bad I smell.
00:39:56.79\00:40:00.40
When I know how bad I look,
00:40:00.43\00:40:03.73
when I know how
messed up I really am,
00:40:03.77\00:40:07.04
when I know that I'm
no better than a roach
00:40:07.07\00:40:11.24
and yet my passage
tells me that God sees me
00:40:11.27\00:40:16.21
in a totally different way.
00:40:16.24\00:40:18.25
He knows I'm a sinner.
00:40:18.28\00:40:20.22
He knows I'm messed up and yet,
00:40:20.25\00:40:22.45
the Bible says
God loves me so much
00:40:22.48\00:40:25.79
while I am still messed up.
00:40:25.82\00:40:27.59
That He gave His
Son to die for me.
00:40:27.62\00:40:31.63
What He wants us to do
is to submit to a Lasiks,
00:40:31.66\00:40:36.20
a Lasiks treatment
00:40:36.23\00:40:37.63
and He wants to use His
cross as the laser machine.
00:40:37.67\00:40:42.54
He wants to use
His grace as laser beam
00:40:42.57\00:40:46.27
so that every time
we look at the cross
00:40:46.31\00:40:49.28
our eyesight will be clearer,
our focus will be clearer,
00:40:49.31\00:40:53.98
our understanding of
ourselves will be clearer
00:40:54.02\00:40:57.15
if we can somehow get
that grace beam into our eyes
00:40:57.19\00:41:02.12
and allow the Lord to do with us
00:41:02.16\00:41:04.36
what He wants to do.
00:41:04.39\00:41:05.86
Amen.
00:41:05.89\00:41:07.26
Everything that God does,
listen to this, listen to this.
00:41:07.30\00:41:12.23
Everything that God does
communicates to us two things.
00:41:12.27\00:41:19.57
Number one, He loves us
00:41:19.61\00:41:24.15
and secondly, He misses us.
00:41:24.18\00:41:29.18
He loves us and
secondly He misses us.
00:41:29.22\00:41:35.52
Can you imagine a being
who lives in environment
00:41:35.56\00:41:42.10
where there are
thousands upon thousands
00:41:42.13\00:41:44.43
and ten thousands of
angels that just stay
00:41:44.47\00:41:49.44
around praising His name?
00:41:49.47\00:41:52.74
Well, there are four beasts
00:41:52.77\00:41:56.34
and their whole job is
to sing praise Him, holy,
00:41:56.38\00:42:03.08
halleluiah and yet
according to my Bible,
00:42:03.12\00:42:09.16
he loves me and misses me
even when I'm not praising Him,
00:42:09.19\00:42:16.63
even when I'm not
thinking about Him,
00:42:16.67\00:42:19.47
even when my life is
wandered away from Him,
00:42:19.50\00:42:22.40
and yet, He can
somehow look through
00:42:22.44\00:42:25.41
all the celebration and
the cacophonies of heaven
00:42:25.44\00:42:30.11
and still place His focus on me
00:42:30.15\00:42:33.72
and said I love you so much
00:42:33.75\00:42:37.42
I can't wait till
we're back together again.
00:42:37.45\00:42:41.39
Just a few days
ago we just finished
00:42:41.42\00:42:43.59
celebrating a holiday.
00:42:43.63\00:42:44.96
When was it?
00:42:44.99\00:42:46.43
Christmas. Christmas.
00:42:46.46\00:42:48.43
And the angel said,
00:42:48.46\00:42:49.80
"You shall call
His name Immanuel,
00:42:49.83\00:42:53.57
which being
interpreted," as what?
00:42:53.60\00:42:56.17
"God with us." I
love you and I miss you.
00:42:56.20\00:43:01.11
When man sinned and
the Father and the Son
00:43:01.14\00:43:05.41
and the Holy Ghost went
into the counsel of peace,
00:43:05.45\00:43:08.18
Jesus volunteered to
step forward and to become
00:43:08.22\00:43:12.69
my substitute and
sacrifice in my instead.
00:43:12.72\00:43:16.62
He said, I'll go down, Father.
00:43:16.66\00:43:19.19
I'll become the great go
well, the bridge builder,
00:43:19.23\00:43:22.40
the one who go between
00:43:22.43\00:43:24.23
because I love
them and I miss them.
00:43:24.27\00:43:28.90
When He came here as a baby
00:43:28.94\00:43:32.57
and he went up Golgotha slopes,
00:43:32.61\00:43:36.08
He allowed Himself to be
hung on that ignominious cross.
00:43:36.11\00:43:40.15
He hung there when
He could have come down.
00:43:40.18\00:43:42.55
He stayed up there
00:43:42.58\00:43:44.39
because what He wanted us
to know was that I love you,
00:43:44.42\00:43:48.19
and I miss you.
00:43:48.22\00:43:50.29
In fact, He miss us so much
that after they took him down
00:43:50.33\00:43:54.16
and put Him in a pothole grave,
00:43:54.20\00:43:56.50
He was only in there
over the weekend, you know.
00:43:56.53\00:43:58.73
But He got up
early one Sunday morning
00:43:58.77\00:44:01.60
because He wanted to say, I
can't stay in there sleeping
00:44:01.64\00:44:05.34
because I love and I miss you
00:44:05.37\00:44:08.74
and just before He went
back into heaven in AD 31,
00:44:08.78\00:44:14.02
He stopped long enough to say,
00:44:14.05\00:44:16.12
"Let not your heart be troubled.
00:44:16.15\00:44:18.42
Ye believe in God,
believe also in me.
00:44:18.45\00:44:21.39
In my Father's
house are many mansions.
00:44:21.42\00:44:23.89
If it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:44:23.93\00:44:25.56
I am going to
prepare a place for you
00:44:25.59\00:44:27.63
and if I go to
prepare a place for you,"
00:44:27.66\00:44:30.20
what I'm gonna do?
00:44:30.23\00:44:31.57
"I will come again."
00:44:31.60\00:44:33.37
Why? Because I
love you and I miss you.
00:44:33.40\00:44:38.61
We miss every celebration.
00:44:38.64\00:44:42.81
He says, "As often
as ye eat this bread
00:44:42.84\00:44:47.25
and drink this
cup," you do what?
00:44:47.28\00:44:51.55
"You show Lord's
death till he comes."
00:44:51.59\00:44:55.39
Every time we sin at the table,
00:44:55.42\00:44:59.13
we ought to be
reminded of what He said,
00:44:59.16\00:45:01.46
"I'm not gonna eat anymore
bread or drink anymore wine
00:45:01.50\00:45:06.30
until I drink it new with
you in my Father's kingdom."
00:45:06.33\00:45:10.84
Why? Because I
love you and I miss you.
00:45:10.87\00:45:15.64
Every time the
Sabbath comes around,
00:45:15.68\00:45:19.01
once a week, sun down
Friday to sundown Saturday,
00:45:19.05\00:45:23.39
the reason that He
asks us to remember
00:45:23.42\00:45:26.42
the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:45:26.45\00:45:28.22
"Six days shall thou
labor and do all thy work
00:45:28.26\00:45:31.56
but the seventh day
00:45:31.59\00:45:32.96
is the Sabbath
to the Lord thy God.
00:45:32.99\00:45:35.16
In it thou shalt
not do any work."
00:45:35.20\00:45:36.97
Why?
00:45:37.00\00:45:38.33
Because I love
you and I miss you
00:45:38.37\00:45:42.10
and I want you to
spend time with me.
00:45:42.14\00:45:45.01
The reason He is
coming back a second time
00:45:45.04\00:45:48.44
is because He loves
us and He misses us.
00:45:48.48\00:45:55.75
And that's what
behind the introspection.
00:45:55.78\00:46:02.66
Introspection gives
birth to resolutions,
00:46:02.69\00:46:05.06
introspection gives
birth to recrimination,
00:46:05.09\00:46:07.66
introspection gives
birth to revelations,
00:46:07.70\00:46:10.97
introspection gives
birth to revelations.
00:46:11.00\00:46:15.44
I want to close by
telling you about Keasha
00:46:15.47\00:46:21.58
Her given name was
Lakeasha Monique Rutledge.
00:46:21.61\00:46:28.45
She was 38 years old,
00:46:28.48\00:46:33.02
38, unmarried.
00:46:33.05\00:46:37.09
But the day came
when a man proposed her
00:46:37.13\00:46:41.13
and asked, "Will you marry me?"
00:46:41.16\00:46:45.43
And she said, "Yes."
00:46:45.47\00:46:50.51
She was married
this past November 27
00:46:50.54\00:46:54.74
in a well decorated
church in Atlanta, Georgia.
00:46:54.78\00:46:59.85
Like many women,
00:46:59.88\00:47:01.58
she couldn't wait to
put on her wedding gown,
00:47:01.62\00:47:05.35
couldn't wait to have her
maids of honor around her,
00:47:05.39\00:47:10.73
couldn't wait to
come down the midway
00:47:10.76\00:47:15.23
and so the
wedding guests showed up
00:47:15.26\00:47:17.77
and they waited and they stood,
00:47:17.80\00:47:19.73
when they heard
the chorus played,
00:47:19.77\00:47:22.40
"Here comes the
bride, here comes the bride."
00:47:22.44\00:47:25.34
And they stood up as
Keasha came down aisle
00:47:25.37\00:47:29.34
But there was
something about Keasha.
00:47:29.38\00:47:33.01
Keasha was coming down
the aisle in a wheel chair.
00:47:33.05\00:47:37.29
Not just a wheel chair,
00:47:37.32\00:47:39.62
but she was also
tethered to an oxygen tank.
00:47:39.65\00:47:44.06
She came all the
way to the front.
00:47:44.09\00:47:47.60
And before she got
to her husband to be,
00:47:47.63\00:47:51.63
she stood up and
made the last three steps
00:47:51.67\00:47:57.47
to the side of her husband.
00:47:57.51\00:48:00.94
What I didn't tell you was
00:48:00.98\00:48:03.11
that Keasha was dying
of terminal lung cancer.
00:48:03.14\00:48:10.09
When they got to the front,
00:48:10.12\00:48:12.82
they had provided two
chairs for them to sit down
00:48:12.85\00:48:16.06
because just to stand
up required too much air.
00:48:16.09\00:48:21.66
And so they sat down,
00:48:21.70\00:48:24.97
"Do you take this
man to be your husband?"
00:48:25.00\00:48:29.40
"Do you take this
woman to be your wife."
00:48:29.44\00:48:33.51
"I now pronounce
you man and wife."
00:48:33.54\00:48:36.01
And they bent over in the
chair and kissed each other.
00:48:36.04\00:48:41.68
Like any other bride,
she wanted a reception
00:48:41.72\00:48:44.42
and so they wheeled
her to the reception room.
00:48:44.45\00:48:46.92
She had enough strength to
do have a dance with her daddy
00:48:46.96\00:48:50.99
and a dance
with her new husband.
00:48:51.03\00:48:55.56
You should've seen
the joy on her face.
00:48:55.60\00:49:00.90
After 38 years of singleness,
00:49:00.94\00:49:06.01
her single life had
now become a shared life.
00:49:06.04\00:49:10.38
That was on November 27th.
00:49:10.41\00:49:13.78
This past Tuesday of this week,
December 27th, Keasha died.
00:49:13.82\00:49:18.62
Just one month later,
00:49:22.32\00:49:26.80
she passed away.
00:49:26.83\00:49:30.83
Someone asked her husband,
00:49:30.87\00:49:34.50
"Why did you marry her
00:49:34.54\00:49:38.41
when you knew she
was going to die?"
00:49:38.44\00:49:43.38
It wasn't like he
couldn't get anyone.
00:49:43.41\00:49:44.85
He was an
ex-NFL football player.
00:49:44.88\00:49:49.22
He had played for
five different teams
00:49:49.25\00:49:52.25
over 12 year period.
00:49:52.29\00:49:53.76
His name was Chris Draft.
00:49:53.79\00:49:58.39
Chris tried to sum
it up at her funeral.
00:49:58.43\00:50:02.00
This is what he
said at her funeral
00:50:02.03\00:50:03.90
as to why he did it.
00:50:03.93\00:50:06.23
Chris said about his wife,
00:50:06.27\00:50:08.54
"She courageously faced
lung cancer showing us all
00:50:08.57\00:50:13.21
with every breath that we
all need to hold on to life
00:50:13.24\00:50:18.45
and love with both
hands for as long as we can.
00:50:18.48\00:50:22.72
Not just an inspiration,
00:50:22.75\00:50:25.15
but a light and a
force that led the way
00:50:25.19\00:50:27.92
with the beautiful sweet
smile and bright shining eyes
00:50:27.96\00:50:31.69
that both belied the pure steel
00:50:31.73\00:50:34.90
of her strength
and determination.
00:50:34.93\00:50:37.00
Strong is too pale, too shallow
00:50:37.03\00:50:39.97
and too small of a word to
describe Keasha's vibrancy.
00:50:40.00\00:50:44.37
Quite simply she was ferocious,
00:50:44.41\00:50:46.91
she fiercely held on to life
and loved with a forcefulness
00:50:46.94\00:50:51.35
that was
absolutely all inspiring
00:50:51.38\00:50:54.42
and completely breathtaking.
00:50:54.45\00:50:56.85
Rest in peace, Mrs. Draft."
00:50:56.89\00:51:01.79
Do you know that God loves you?
00:51:10.57\00:51:17.77
Do you know that God misses you?
00:51:17.81\00:51:22.34
I'm not talking about the person
00:51:22.38\00:51:24.31
over there in the back up here.
00:51:24.35\00:51:29.38
God loves you
00:51:29.42\00:51:33.76
and God misses you.
00:51:33.79\00:51:39.89
If you can't see that,
00:51:39.93\00:51:43.37
then stand before cross.
00:51:43.40\00:51:48.14
Let Him perform His
Lasik surgery on you.
00:51:48.17\00:51:51.07
Let His grace penetrate
the dark coffins of your pupil.
00:51:51.11\00:51:55.14
Let the light of His
love come down and permeate
00:51:55.18\00:51:59.71
the one million or
more optical receptors
00:51:59.75\00:52:02.95
of your spiritual retina
and have the windows of light,
00:52:02.98\00:52:07.22
we call sight open before you
00:52:07.26\00:52:10.76
so that you can
see, so that you can see.
00:52:10.79\00:52:17.47
The way I know that God loves me
00:52:17.50\00:52:22.84
is not by all the good I
do, it's by the bad I do.
00:52:22.87\00:52:29.41
And when I know
that God loves me,
00:52:29.44\00:52:32.18
wretched Laodicea, is
because I'm still here.
00:52:32.21\00:52:38.65
I haven't gone anywhere.
00:52:38.69\00:52:42.56
It is of the Lord's mercies
that we are not consumed.
00:52:42.59\00:52:46.29
Great is His faithfulness.
00:52:46.33\00:52:50.30
Don't you realize
that the moment you sin,
00:52:50.33\00:52:54.77
the moment you sin,
00:52:54.80\00:52:57.97
that there is a
process in place that says,
00:52:58.01\00:53:01.88
"You should die in the moment."
00:53:01.91\00:53:03.55
And the day you touch
it, you should die and yet,
00:53:03.58\00:53:09.08
God keeps
forgiving you over and over
00:53:09.12\00:53:14.29
and over and over again.
00:53:14.32\00:53:17.89
How many times
have you asked God
00:53:17.93\00:53:20.20
to forgive you of the
same sin and He keeps doing it
00:53:20.23\00:53:25.40
over and over and over again
00:53:25.43\00:53:29.47
because I've discovered
that He's a God of second,
00:53:29.50\00:53:36.24
third, fourth, fifth, twenty,
00:53:36.28\00:53:41.15
twenty-five,
thirty, a hundred chances.
00:53:41.18\00:53:46.05
God will give you as
many chances as you need
00:53:46.09\00:53:49.42
in order for Him to save you.
00:53:49.46\00:53:53.03
That's what it's all about.
00:53:53.06\00:53:55.36
The Lasiks is to open your
eye so that you can see His love
00:53:55.40\00:54:00.60
and understand through
His leading in your life
00:54:00.64\00:54:04.47
how much He cares about you
00:54:04.51\00:54:10.15
and how much He misses you.
00:54:10.18\00:54:12.68
And so I'm going to be
just be very plain today.
00:54:12.71\00:54:17.52
There maybe someone who's
here today in City Temple.
00:54:17.55\00:54:22.69
You've gone all
the way through 2011,
00:54:22.72\00:54:25.86
I don't know what your age is,
00:54:25.89\00:54:28.20
but God has
brought you through life
00:54:28.23\00:54:31.67
and today you're
sitting here and you recognize,
00:54:31.70\00:54:35.24
I've got to do something
really interesting text.
00:54:35.27\00:54:38.94
I'll have to do
something different.
00:54:38.97\00:54:41.64
There is absolutely no
reason for me to be totally
00:54:41.68\00:54:44.51
lost 'cause He
loves me and He misses me.
00:54:44.55\00:54:49.65
I've just been
too blind to see that.
00:54:49.68\00:54:52.32
But today, something, something,
00:54:52.35\00:54:54.32
I've caught a flash
00:54:54.36\00:54:57.13
in my spiritual view and today,
00:54:57.16\00:55:00.86
you want to call me
to the altar and say,
00:55:00.90\00:55:02.63
"Pastor, I want to
accept Jesus Christ
00:55:02.66\00:55:07.14
as my personal
Savior, my personal Savior
00:55:07.17\00:55:11.37
for the first
time or all over again,
00:55:11.41\00:55:16.31
because I messed up
and I need another chance."
00:55:16.34\00:55:21.65
So I want to do that today.
00:55:21.68\00:55:23.08
Stand on your feet so
that somebody can move by,
00:55:23.12\00:55:24.89
you just stand where you are.
00:55:24.92\00:55:26.72
Stand up.
00:55:26.76\00:55:28.56
Stand so people can move by
00:55:28.59\00:55:30.09
and if you need
to come, just stand.
00:55:30.13\00:55:32.99
All the congregation to stand.
00:55:33.03\00:55:36.77
Let somebody by who needs
to come, you need to come today
00:55:36.80\00:55:40.64
and get something
straight with God.
00:55:40.67\00:55:42.60
Let's sing.
00:55:42.64\00:55:45.57
All to Jesus
00:55:45.61\00:55:49.14
I surrender
00:55:53.01\00:55:55.22
All to Him I freely give
00:55:55.25\00:56:00.96
Don't let this year end,
00:56:00.99\00:56:03.02
don't let this Sabbath end,
00:56:03.06\00:56:05.06
don't let this
day end until you come
00:56:05.09\00:56:09.96
and make your
calling in relationship,
00:56:10.00\00:56:12.20
why don't you accept the God?
00:56:12.23\00:56:14.90
He loves you so much
and misses you so much
00:56:14.94\00:56:20.08
that He will leave the glories
of heaven to come down here
00:56:20.11\00:56:24.45
in this dark and murky
world just to make sure
00:56:24.48\00:56:28.75
you will have an opportunity
to live with Him eternally.
00:56:28.78\00:56:32.49
Do you need to come
here, do you need to come.
00:56:32.52\00:56:37.99
This is your last Sabbath.
00:56:38.03\00:56:41.90
I don't know what
God has planned for you,
00:56:41.93\00:56:45.00
you think you'll be here
00:56:45.03\00:56:46.37
tomorrow to see
the new year, will you?
00:56:46.40\00:56:50.97
Or do you hear
the Spirit's voice
00:56:51.01\00:56:53.48
speaking to you first to tell
00:56:53.51\00:56:54.84
you need to come
to the altar today.
00:56:54.88\00:56:57.81
Where are you at?
00:56:57.85\00:56:59.18
You need to come to me.
00:56:59.21\00:57:00.55
Where are you
at? You need to come.
00:57:00.58\00:57:02.12
You need to come forward.
00:57:02.15\00:57:03.49
First time, you need
to come all over here.
00:57:03.52\00:57:06.19
I don't know who you are.
00:57:06.22\00:57:09.59
I don't know who you are.
00:57:09.62\00:57:11.26
I just know that you--
00:57:11.29\00:57:12.63
There's someone here that God
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is trying to call
before the end of 2011.
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Where are you at?
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Where are you?
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