Welcome to another
edition of "Issues and Answers."
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What a pleasure it is
to have you join us today.
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We've a very special guest
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who will be talking
to us about talents.
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What does that mean, talents?
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Does it mean money?
Does it mean prestige?
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Does it mean power?
Does it mean giftedness?
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We'll learn more about talents
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through Pastor Stanley
Dixon's personal testimony,
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but first little bit about him.
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He's a graduate of the
Los Angeles City College,
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Radio Broadcasting
and Journalism School
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and also Oakwood College
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and the Andrews
University Theological Seminary.
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He's also a former US navy
ship serviceman and honor guard.
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He's been involved in many youth
ministries around the country,
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has pastored many churches
and has also been involved
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in television
and radio broadcast.
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Welcome, Pastor
Dixon, to our program.
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It's a pleasure to be here.
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Tell us about talents. Well, I--
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talents is a very
important subject to me because
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a couple of years
ago, the Lord showed me
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what having talents
really meant. Mm-hmm.
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And I just like to go
back to my childhood. Okay.
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Well, I grew up in a
home where there wasn't
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a lot of
laughter, not a lot of joy.
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My mother had
divorced when we were--
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I had another brother at
that time who was 5 years old.
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And there were times, very
dark times, a dismal period.
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About 5 years after
that, my mother remarried
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and a stepfather
came into the picture
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and he was not happy
about this arrangement.
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You know-- You
mean, with the children?
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With the children involved and
so life was kind of miserable,
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you know, and I'm talking about,
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you know, anger and
accusing and just not--
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How did that affect
you and your brothers?
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Well, it affected me in
the sense of looking outside
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of the home for peer
group and peer support
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which resulted in my
going outside of the home
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and getting involved in gangs
and the wrong kind of crowd.
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And where were you living?
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I was living in Los Angeles,
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the inner city of
Los Angeles. Mm-hmm.
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And fortunately I barely
made it out of high school
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because of the
commitment towards education.
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My father was a teacher. Mm-hmm.
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And I thought, well, it must
be somewhat important since,
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you know, he had already
obtained a masters degree.
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But still for me I think
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after that
experience of leaving home,
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it was a quest to
find happiness and joy
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and I found out
that I couldn't find it,
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didn't find it in the gangs,
I didn't find it in the clubs,
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I didn't find it
in the party. And so--
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How old were you
when you left home?
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Well, I was about 18 and I
joined the United States Navy.
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So after I got out of
the navy, I was still looking
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and I remember when I was young,
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I used to watch a
lot of television.
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And I think for the first time
I saw people, you know, laughing
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and being happy at
least superficially. Mm-hmm.
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At that time I didn't know it.
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And I decided after
watching certain stand-up comics
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that I would go into that field.
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Because if these
people had happiness,
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you know, I wanted
to be a part of it.
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I wanted to give it to
others and so I learned
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how to do stand-up comedy.
I learned the craft and--
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How interesting for a person
who was hurting so much inside
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to choose comedy. Right.
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To choose comedy. Yeah.
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It was sort of a Band-Aid
approach looking back on it.
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But I remember
in a speech class,
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the teacher suggested
and this is at a city college
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that, "You know, why
don't you try stand-up comedy,
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you know, because
you're pretty good
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at arranging facts
and ideas in a funny way."
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And so I took him up
on that and on December
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I think it was the 25th
1977, I went up before a crowd
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at the comedy
store in West Hollywood.
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Oh, that's a very famous spot.
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Yeah. Right. And--
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A lot of people who've gotten
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there start as
comedians at that place. Right.
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And the first
night was terrible.
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It was awful, I mean, it was--
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it was a bad experience.
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I'll put it that way. Mm-hmm.
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And I couldn't see anything.
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The lights were in front
of me and the timing was off.
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People weren't laughing.
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In fact, people
were shouting, you know,
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"Get off the
stage. Get a day job.
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Go West, young man."
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And I was kind of stubborn.
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So I said, "Let me
find out what I did wrong."
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And so the next
week I came back,
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I did better and
so that began a 3-year
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circulating through the
comedy circuit in Hollywood.
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And by the end of 3
years, I had learned the craft.
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I don't think I was
naturally gifted to be funny,
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but I had learnt how to do it
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and I remember
Arsenio Hall-- Mm-hmm.
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You know, saying,
"You know, you really
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have some clever material.
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And then you
ought to keep doing."
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So he gave me encouragement
and Pablo Rodriguez--
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Paul Rodriguez,
actually asked me
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to perform open for
him, doing a college circuit.
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And I remember at the improv
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there were two producers
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of television
programs, gave me their card
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and said that they were gonna
look me up and at the same time
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I was going through a
real dreadful period in my life
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being without God and
live-- as a young man,
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you know, living in sin
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and at the same time
trying to achieve something.
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I was a little bit off balance
and so my life got real bad
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and it seemed
that I had no future.
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I had no purpose, even
though I was pursuing a career,
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learning how to make
people laugh--Mm-hmm.
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At the same time even
though people were laughing,
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I was still
miserable. I was still unhappy.
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I was still feeling
this sense of emptiness.
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And at the same time,
the Lord was drawing me
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away from the comedy circuit.
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In fact, he drew
me to the University
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of Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Los Angeles.
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And I began to study and
I began to read the Bible
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and I remember one morning,
one of the members at university
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called me for prayer and
at the end of that prayer,
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I was impressed to
turn to Matthew 25,
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and I'll just read it.
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Matthew 25, beginning
with verse 14, and it says,
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"The kingdom of
heaven is as a man traveling
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into a far country who
called his own servants
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and delivered
unto them his goods.
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And to one he gave five
talents, and to another two,
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and to another
one, and to every man
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according to
his several ability,
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and straight way
took his journey.
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And then he that received
the five talents went and traded
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with the same and made
them other five talents.
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And like wise he
that had received two,
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he also gained other two.
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But he that received one
went and digged in the earth,
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and hid his Lord's money."
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And when I saw that, it
hit me like a ton of bricks
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that I was the one who had
hid his talent in the earth.
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And when I was reading the
scripture and I can't explain it
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because there are no
human words to describe
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what happened in that
room for the next 2 hours.
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But it was like a presence
came into that apartment
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where I was staying at
that time and the words
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even though they were read
and I was reading the words,
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the words became alive.
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That's the best
I can describe it.
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And it was like
the Father, the Son,
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and Jesus Christ was
right there in the room
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and His presence or His nearness
toward me enlivened the word
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and the word became
living to me and I saw
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where the word applied to me,
to my own personal situation.
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I was the one who had
buried his talents in the earth.
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I was in the world
trying to make a name,
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trying to be
successful, using God's talent.
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You know, 'cause the Bible
says, "You are not your own.
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You were bought with a price,"
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you know, "honor
God in your body."
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I was burying what
God gave me in the earth.
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Well, Pastor
Dixon, it also meant
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that the fact that God
came and allowed you to feel
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His presence
meant that you even--
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that you also had talents. Yes.
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That kind of affirmed to
you that you had talent. Yeah.
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It did, it was an
affirmation of what I had
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and then also suggested
that there may have been
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other talents that I hadn't
even tapped in on yet. Mm-hmm.
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See, comedy is just
one slice of a talent
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and it was never meant
to be taken in on its own,
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because you can't really laugh
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or laugh without
crying to be a whole person.
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And what comedy was
doing at least in the world
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was exploiting this gift to
be able to make people laugh.
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And I cried in my
room for about an hour
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and I surrendered my
life to the Lord and that was
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the beginning of my
conversion experience
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and also the beginning of
giving the Lord my talent,
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so I stopped doing the stand-up
comedy in the night clubs
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and using the language and--
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So what did you do for money?
00:10:09.19\00:10:11.17
'Cause that was your job.
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Well, actually I wasn't
getting paid that much for it.
00:10:12.61\00:10:14.94
So, you know, I
was a full-time student
00:10:14.97\00:10:16.84
at that time. Okay.
00:10:16.87\00:10:20.68
But I see it as the
Lord redirecting me away from
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using talents in Satan's venue.
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And eventually I began to
do other things in the church.
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And the Lord showed me
that I had other gifts.
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I had a gift for writing.
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I had a gift for
counseling people.
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I had other, you
know, gifts of speaking,
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not necessarily
just making people laugh,
00:10:44.90\00:10:47.32
but using whatever I had
learned in the comedy circuit
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to use it for the
glory and honor of God.
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So what happened next?
00:10:53.50\00:10:55.21
Well, the next
thing happened is,
00:10:55.24\00:10:56.61
I enrolled at Oakwood College
with a lot of encouragement
00:10:56.64\00:10:58.91
from the
university church members.
00:10:58.94\00:11:01.26
So church members
can make a difference
00:11:01.29\00:11:02.70
in the lives of young people?
00:11:02.73\00:11:04.10
Oh, yes, oh,yes, oh, yes.
00:11:04.13\00:11:05.50
It was a lot of encouragement
00:11:05.53\00:11:06.90
and also they
utilized what gifts I had.
00:11:06.93\00:11:08.30
If they had something
going on in an AY program,
00:11:08.33\00:11:11.60
they would say, "Hey,
Stan, can you do this?
00:11:11.63\00:11:13.48
We need you to memorize
a speech. Can you do this?
00:11:13.51\00:11:15.87
Do Martin Luther
King. Do this, do that."
00:11:15.90\00:11:17.54
And so I felt a sense
of being needed and I felt
00:11:17.57\00:11:21.72
that my gifts were
nurtured and developed,
00:11:21.75\00:11:24.56
you know, at the church.
00:11:24.59\00:11:25.96
And then they sent me away
to Oakwood College and there
00:11:25.99\00:11:28.30
I was impressed to follow
or pursue ministry as a career.
00:11:28.33\00:11:35.50
But God had called me
before that and He told me
00:11:35.53\00:11:38.62
"to take your talents out of
the world and give them to Me
00:11:38.65\00:11:42.45
and watch Me
multiply them." Amen.
00:11:42.48\00:11:44.31
So that's been my quest
since then is to continue
00:11:44.34\00:11:49.01
to study Matthew 25, because
there are a lot of lessons
00:11:49.04\00:11:52.70
as it relates to, you
know, the use of your gifts
00:11:52.73\00:11:57.65
and the development of the
gifts and also the increasing
00:11:57.68\00:12:02.11
or the
multiplication of those gifts.
00:12:02.14\00:12:04.32
So I've been very fortunate,
00:12:04.35\00:12:07.87
you know, and the
Bible says in Proverbs 17:22,
00:12:07.90\00:12:10.43
"A merry heart doeth
good like a medicine." Yes.
00:12:10.46\00:12:14.25
And I think sometimes even in
the church we can be so serious.
00:12:14.28\00:12:18.16
And, in fact, I'm serious
and often accused of that.
00:12:18.19\00:12:22.50
And people will say,
"How could you used to be a--
00:12:22.53\00:12:24.10
how did you-- how
were you a comedian?"
00:12:24.13\00:12:26.02
How were you a comedian?
00:12:26.05\00:12:27.77
Because, you know, you
seem so serious and I think
00:12:27.80\00:12:29.70
it's a reaction to, you know,
the world on my association
00:12:29.73\00:12:35.36
with comedy with
the world. Mm-hmm.
00:12:35.39\00:12:37.96
But over the
years I've learned that,
00:12:37.99\00:12:41.10
that it's still useful as
long as it's sanctified by God
00:12:41.13\00:12:45.64
and it's not divorce
from life in general,
00:12:45.67\00:12:48.73
in other words, not exploited.
00:12:48.76\00:12:50.26
Okay. You see. So you
still make people laugh?
00:12:50.29\00:12:53.49
Sometimes it comes
out, but naturally now.
00:12:53.52\00:12:55.66
You know, it may be in a sermon.
00:12:55.69\00:12:57.58
It may be for
example to ease tension.
00:12:57.61\00:13:01.29
We had a situation where
if someone stood up to sing
00:13:01.32\00:13:05.97
and the tape
player wouldn't come on
00:13:06.00\00:13:09.65
and so there's this
paralyzing silence. Yes.
00:13:09.68\00:13:12.72
And all that is needed
at that time is for someone
00:13:12.75\00:13:15.64
to say something
that will ease people.
00:13:15.67\00:13:18.53
And sometimes, you know,
what happens where you might
00:13:18.56\00:13:21.89
say something that
"Well, the tape is not
00:13:21.92\00:13:24.25
functioning and
the devil is on,"
00:13:24.28\00:13:25.80
and people will be laughing
and it eases the situation.
00:13:25.83\00:13:28.42
So there's a use,
there's a purpose for laughter.
00:13:28.45\00:13:32.38
And there's a doctor out at
Loma Linda who did a study--
00:13:32.41\00:13:36.45
A controlled study and
he showed that laughter
00:13:36.48\00:13:40.82
actually improved a
person's immune system.
00:13:40.85\00:13:43.86
Oh, absolutely. Yeah.
00:13:43.89\00:13:45.26
"A merry heart doeth
good like a medicine."
00:13:45.29\00:13:47.08
Doeth good like
a medicine, yeah.
00:13:47.11\00:13:48.79
"And a broken
spirit dries up the bones."
00:13:48.82\00:13:50.57
Yes, yes. So it's
not a sin to laugh.
00:13:50.60\00:13:53.53
But it is a sin
to exploit laugher
00:13:53.56\00:13:56.51
outside of the
context of life and truth.
00:13:56.54\00:14:01.01
So I've learned
that in the church
00:14:01.04\00:14:03.46
that even in a
sermon it may come out,
00:14:03.49\00:14:05.93
but it's not a joke.
00:14:05.96\00:14:08.40
And some of your
preachers even preachers
00:14:08.43\00:14:10.38
that have been here on 3ABN,
you know, I've watched them.
00:14:10.41\00:14:13.64
They will say something so
true that it makes you laugh.
00:14:13.67\00:14:16.50
But it's not-- the
laughter is not the end.
00:14:16.53\00:14:20.24
It's not the purpose
of what is being said.
00:14:20.27\00:14:23.18
But it's a byproduct of what has
been said because it's so true.
00:14:23.21\00:14:26.89
It sounds so true, so you laugh.
00:14:26.92\00:14:29.61
And, so it's been a
help in my ministry.
00:14:29.64\00:14:33.03
The past has been a
help, but not until that talent
00:14:33.06\00:14:37.14
was surrendered to God and
now God gives it back to me
00:14:37.17\00:14:42.26
to be used for His glory.
00:14:42.29\00:14:43.82
Not just making people
laugh, but making people whole,
00:14:43.85\00:14:47.89
giving people
hope and encouragement.
00:14:47.92\00:14:50.29
And how about that
pursuit for happiness?
00:14:50.32\00:14:52.43
I found it. Praise the Lord.
00:14:52.46\00:14:54.81
I found it and I'm watching
other people get the real thing.
00:14:54.84\00:14:58.37
So now you went to
Oakwood College and-- Yes.
00:14:58.40\00:15:01.11
Tell us about
your experience there.
00:15:01.14\00:15:03.29
When did you know that the Lord
was calling you to ministry?
00:15:03.32\00:15:06.16
Actually I knew that
before Oakwood College
00:15:06.19\00:15:09.62
because I was just
attracted to the church.
00:15:09.65\00:15:11.68
I was attracted to the
word so much that I would spend
00:15:11.71\00:15:15.25
days and nights just
searching the word of God.
00:15:15.28\00:15:18.20
And I remember C. D.
Brooks did a revival.
00:15:18.23\00:15:21.68
I think it was a tent effort
in Los Angeles and I was there
00:15:21.71\00:15:25.54
every night and as
long as the doors were open,
00:15:25.57\00:15:28.38
you know, I was at that
church and I was usually
00:15:28.41\00:15:30.04
the last one to leave, you
know, and I'm a new convert
00:15:30.07\00:15:34.33
no longer than three
months in the church,
00:15:34.36\00:15:36.56
but I had an insatiable desire
00:15:36.59\00:15:38.94
for a hunger for
spiritual things.
00:15:38.97\00:15:41.83
And I guess the other ministers
saw that and they encouraged me.
00:15:41.86\00:15:44.63
The church members, the elders,
00:15:44.66\00:15:46.03
they saw that and
then they encouraged me on.
00:15:46.06\00:15:49.29
And Oakwood
College was like heaven.
00:15:49.32\00:15:51.62
Because that same
environment reminded me
00:15:51.65\00:15:57.26
of what heaven would be like.
00:15:57.29\00:15:58.66
I would sit in classrooms
00:15:58.69\00:16:00.06
and I would hate
for the bell to ring.
00:16:00.09\00:16:02.50
You know, I was like, "Oh, no,
00:16:02.53\00:16:04.07
we got to go back
in the world again."
00:16:04.10\00:16:06.06
And E. E. Cleveland
was one of the instructors.
00:16:06.09\00:16:12.22
E. C. Ward and, you
know, some of the old timers.
00:16:12.25\00:16:15.33
So it was a rich experience
that 2 years that I was there.
00:16:15.36\00:16:18.71
I was a transfer
student, transferred from UCLA,
00:16:18.74\00:16:20.80
but the 2 years
was very rewarding
00:16:20.83\00:16:24.00
and it gave me a foundation,
00:16:24.03\00:16:27.49
so that whatever would
happen, you know, in the future,
00:16:27.52\00:16:30.19
I was prepared
because they really gave me
00:16:30.22\00:16:31.98
some solid roots
and solid foundation.
00:16:32.01\00:16:35.29
Now did you go
straight way to the seminary
00:16:35.32\00:16:37.26
after Oakwood College? No.
00:16:37.29\00:16:38.66
I went back into the wilderness
00:16:38.69\00:16:40.79
and it was about 2
years, 2 or 3 years
00:16:40.82\00:16:43.94
before I went back to-- well,
00:16:43.97\00:16:45.51
I went to
Andrews. And at that time--
00:16:45.54\00:16:48.07
Were you in the
ministry pastoring at that time?
00:16:48.10\00:16:49.71
I wasn't pastoring,
but I was ministering,
00:16:49.74\00:16:52.06
but I wasn't
officially a minister.
00:16:52.09\00:16:54.56
I was, you know, working
as a substitute teacher--
00:16:54.59\00:16:58.03
So you really had
to exert a lot of faith
00:16:58.06\00:17:00.24
to having spent--
graduated in theology? Yeah.
00:17:00.27\00:17:04.55
And then not to have
received a call as they say
00:17:04.58\00:17:08.62
which is full-time
employment in ministry.
00:17:08.65\00:17:11.51
But you decided instead to
go ahead and pursue ministry
00:17:11.54\00:17:15.57
because you knew the
Lord wanted you to do that.
00:17:15.60\00:17:17.36
Yes, and I remember I
would be asked to speak
00:17:17.39\00:17:20.06
and I would help and I
would run Revelation seminars.
00:17:20.09\00:17:23.06
But eventually after 3 years,
I got a little frustrated.
00:17:23.09\00:17:24.90
I said, "Lord, do you
really want me to do this.
00:17:24.93\00:17:27.02
I think I'm
gonna change my major
00:17:27.05\00:17:28.65
and I'm gonna
go into psychology,
00:17:28.68\00:17:30.13
because I don't feel
that these sacrifices
00:17:30.16\00:17:33.91
that are being made
are paying off," you know.
00:17:33.94\00:17:37.75
And I remember just
being in a park one night
00:17:37.78\00:17:41.35
and just almost at a
point of just giving up
00:17:41.38\00:17:44.51
and that following
Friday night, Elder, um,
00:17:44.54\00:17:50.40
what's his name, Elder Winston--
00:17:50.43\00:17:53.78
Elder Taylor has said to me
00:17:53.81\00:17:55.45
"We voted you
in. We voted you in."
00:17:55.48\00:17:57.33
Just when I was
about to give up,
00:17:57.36\00:17:59.79
the Lord moved upon
this committee to say,
00:17:59.82\00:18:02.67
you know, that, you
know-- The time is right.
00:18:02.70\00:18:04.50
Now you're a
part of the ministry,
00:18:04.53\00:18:06.52
but the Lord had to
teach me some things
00:18:06.55\00:18:08.46
during that 3-year
time. What did He teach you?
00:18:08.49\00:18:10.38
He taught me faith,
you know, trusting in God,
00:18:10.41\00:18:14.53
not to make sacrifices,
not to compromise principles--
00:18:14.56\00:18:20.17
Because if you were
back in Los Angeles again
00:18:20.20\00:18:22.04
it would've been
just as easy for you
00:18:22.07\00:18:23.44
to get right back into that.
00:18:23.47\00:18:24.94
It was. There were
a lot of temptations.
00:18:24.97\00:18:29.09
A lot of inducements,
and the comedy field
00:18:29.12\00:18:31.88
was right there,
right in the center.
00:18:31.91\00:18:33.28
So the Lord said, "Go
back where I found you and"
00:18:33.31\00:18:37.02
you know, "and do
the work of ministry."
00:18:37.05\00:18:40.25
And just when I got tired
that's when He came through.
00:18:40.28\00:18:44.05
He knows how much we could bear.
00:18:44.08\00:18:45.64
Now were you
married at that time?
00:18:45.67\00:18:47.47
Was not married,
which made it worse.
00:18:47.50\00:18:50.52
Because like I said,
but the Lord was developing,
00:18:50.55\00:18:55.38
you know, the character traits
that I would need later on.
00:18:55.41\00:18:59.51
And the only way He
could've done that was to remove
00:18:59.54\00:19:02.18
all of the protection
and He'd set me in just like
00:19:02.21\00:19:05.46
Jesus going into the wilderness.
00:19:05.49\00:19:07.89
Just going in and depending
upon God, trusting in Him.
00:19:07.92\00:19:12.03
So you left from
there and you went
00:19:12.06\00:19:13.45
to Michigan-- Went to Michigan.
00:19:13.48\00:19:15.14
To the Seventh-day Adventist
Theological Seminary. Yes, yes.
00:19:15.17\00:19:17.86
A very different place
from Los Angeles in temperature.
00:19:17.89\00:19:20.69
Yes, yes.
00:19:20.72\00:19:22.71
But it was there that I
learned the tools of ministry.
00:19:22.74\00:19:28.95
I've already had
the basis for faith.
00:19:28.98\00:19:31.01
I've learned that in
my own personal study
00:19:31.04\00:19:33.16
and also Oakwood
College facilitated that.
00:19:33.19\00:19:36.98
But at Andrews, I
learned the discipline of study
00:19:37.01\00:19:43.85
and of writing and I'm really
putting those gifts into use.
00:19:43.88\00:19:47.30
So these are more talents
the Lord was placing--Yes.
00:19:47.33\00:19:50.53
In your lap and developing.
00:19:50.56\00:19:52.61
And incidentally, when I was
looking to find out who I was
00:19:52.64\00:19:59.83
in ministering and to define
that "Lord what are my gifts,
00:19:59.86\00:20:02.86
I know," you know, "I
can speak and there's,
00:20:02.89\00:20:07.20
you know, I know I have the
gift of understanding the word,
00:20:07.23\00:20:09.36
I know I have that,"
00:20:09.39\00:20:11.87
but I went back
to my grade school,
00:20:11.90\00:20:19.06
I think it's the
office where they have all
00:20:19.09\00:20:20.75
the cume reports. Mm-hmm.
00:20:20.78\00:20:22.43
And I read some
of those cume reports
00:20:22.46\00:20:25.53
and it indicated
by one of the teachers
00:20:25.56\00:20:28.68
that I had been an excellent
person in writing. Okay.
00:20:28.71\00:20:36.57
Especially
creative writing. Mm-hmm.
00:20:36.60\00:20:38.17
No one ever told me that.
00:20:38.20\00:20:39.90
It's very
interesting. I didn't know that.
00:20:39.93\00:20:41.35
So you never got that
teacher comment way back where--
00:20:41.38\00:20:43.46
Never got it, never got it
from my parents or anything.
00:20:43.49\00:20:45.72
And so I said,
"Okay, well, that is true."
00:20:45.75\00:20:48.85
Because I remember when
I was at LACC, you know,
00:20:48.88\00:20:51.42
I was on the student newspaper
and I didn't think any of it.
00:20:51.45\00:20:54.78
I just wrote an
article and it won an award,
00:20:54.81\00:20:57.14
you know, it won an award.
00:20:57.17\00:20:58.68
So it verified that,
that God had given me
00:20:58.71\00:21:01.55
that gift from an early age.
00:21:01.58\00:21:04.16
And so those are some
areas that I'm still exploring
00:21:04.19\00:21:07.13
the gift of writing.
00:21:07.16\00:21:09.67
But the most important
thing about Andrews University,
00:21:09.70\00:21:11.66
I guess, is I met my wife
there. Well, praise the Lord.
00:21:11.69\00:21:15.77
Yeah, that's the most important.
00:21:15.80\00:21:17.52
And so it's been a blessing.
00:21:17.55\00:21:20.31
But I wanted to say maybe a
couple of things about talents.
00:21:20.34\00:21:24.84
The Bible says
in Matthew 25 that,
00:21:24.87\00:21:30.45
that this man who
had been given one talent
00:21:30.48\00:21:33.59
hid that talent in the earth.
00:21:33.62\00:21:34.99
Now a talent was
something very precious.
00:21:35.02\00:21:38.43
A talent was
worth 15 years' wages.
00:21:38.46\00:21:42.61
That's a lot of money.
00:21:42.64\00:21:44.01
Yeah, so if you
make $30,000 a year,
00:21:44.04\00:21:46.65
one talent would've been
00:21:46.68\00:21:49.44
something
equivalent to $330,000.
00:21:49.47\00:21:52.85
Wow. Just one talent.
00:21:52.88\00:21:55.61
And you're thinking the person
with five talents who in--
00:21:55.64\00:21:59.35
by increase-- and by
faithfulness increased
00:21:59.38\00:22:02.28
his talents to 10,
would have all over
00:22:02.31\00:22:05.07
three million three hundred
dollars in today's economy.
00:22:05.10\00:22:09.49
So a talent was
something very precious
00:22:09.52\00:22:11.08
and it symbolized those internal
gifts that God has given us.
00:22:11.11\00:22:16.59
To say that if we
use those gifts for God,
00:22:16.62\00:22:19.54
God will increase those
gifts and they are not to be
00:22:19.57\00:22:22.71
used for the world
but to be used for Him
00:22:22.74\00:22:26.03
in helping to win souls for Him.
00:22:26.06\00:22:29.36
And I think it's been a blessing
00:22:29.39\00:22:33.38
to have learned that. Amen.
00:22:33.41\00:22:37.48
So how about the
guy who then buried
00:22:37.51\00:22:39.82
all this money in the
ground? It's unexplainable.
00:22:39.85\00:22:43.71
I don't why
someone would do that?
00:22:43.74\00:22:45.83
It's a lot of money. I had
no idea it was $300,000. Yes.
00:22:45.86\00:22:49.43
No wonder why the master
was so angry with that servant
00:22:49.46\00:22:53.33
who buried that money.
That's right, that's right.
00:22:53.36\00:22:54.73
It might have even
rotted beneath there. Yeah.
00:22:54.76\00:22:57.55
Why would a person
want to bury that much money
00:22:57.58\00:23:00.52
that's something so precious?
00:23:00.55\00:23:02.48
Well, the Bible says that
when he was asked to render
00:23:02.51\00:23:05.94
an account, you know, for
his stewardship, he replied,
00:23:05.97\00:23:09.16
"Well, I thought you
were a hard task master"
00:23:09.19\00:23:13.02
and the condemnation was
not so much that he buried it,
00:23:13.05\00:23:17.60
but the fact that he didn't
do anything with it, you know.
00:23:17.63\00:23:21.55
And, you know, Jesus
said to him, "Well, you know,
00:23:21.58\00:23:26.25
I could've put my money in
the bank and made more money
00:23:26.28\00:23:28.73
if I knew you weren't going to--
" Then he's accused of being
00:23:28.76\00:23:31.02
a "wicked and slothful servant."
00:23:31.05\00:23:33.14
So he just didn't want
any responsibility, you know.
00:23:33.17\00:23:35.99
He didn't want to manage.
He didn't want to do anything.
00:23:36.02\00:23:38.67
So he was not
given that benediction.
00:23:38.70\00:23:41.37
You know, you've been a
faithful and good servant.
00:23:41.40\00:23:47.76
And so, but he receives
the condemnation and those
00:23:47.79\00:23:53.63
who improve their talents,
you know, Jesus said, you know,
00:23:53.66\00:23:57.55
you've been
faithful over a few things.
00:23:57.58\00:24:00.02
I mean, a person here,
a person with 10 talents,
00:24:00.05\00:24:02.80
he's been
faithful over few things.
00:24:02.83\00:24:04.20
Just think, what it's
gonna be like in heaven,
00:24:04.23\00:24:06.33
if we're faithful in
the use of our talents now?
00:24:06.36\00:24:08.65
Amen. So what can we do? Yeah.
00:24:08.68\00:24:10.29
Let's say someone
who's watching the program
00:24:10.32\00:24:12.29
or myself, I want to know, too.
00:24:12.32\00:24:15.07
What can we do to
develop what God has given?
00:24:15.10\00:24:17.79
What's the first step?
00:24:17.82\00:24:19.68
Well, the first step is pray,
00:24:19.71\00:24:21.52
the second step is pray,
and the third step is pray
00:24:21.55\00:24:26.27
because spiritual things
are spiritually discerned.
00:24:26.30\00:24:29.16
It's okay to take a
spiritual gifts inventory
00:24:29.19\00:24:31.52
and those kinds of
tests, but the bottom line
00:24:31.55\00:24:34.04
is that God can
reveal it to us if we pray.
00:24:34.07\00:24:37.32
And the second
step is to explore,
00:24:37.35\00:24:38.96
to read about the subject,
find out as much as we can
00:24:38.99\00:24:41.90
about what the Bible has
to say about spiritual gifts.
00:24:41.93\00:24:44.98
And the third
step is to experiment,
00:24:45.01\00:24:47.10
be open to God's
leading and His providence.
00:24:47.13\00:24:49.78
God may place someone in
your path who has the gift
00:24:49.81\00:24:53.03
of the sermon and will
direct you and say to you,
00:24:53.06\00:24:55.59
"Hey, you've got a
spiritual gift for singing."
00:24:55.62\00:24:57.97
"No, I never
thought I could sing."
00:24:58.00\00:24:59.37
"But I heard
you, you know, before,
00:24:59.40\00:25:00.77
you know, just humming around."
00:25:00.80\00:25:02.17
So we have to trust
God's leading and if we pray,
00:25:02.20\00:25:04.85
God will move us into
the path of discovery.
00:25:04.88\00:25:09.28
Well, I'm glad you said that.
00:25:09.31\00:25:10.68
Because I think
that's what we should do.
00:25:10.71\00:25:12.08
Pray, right
now. Join us at home.
00:25:12.11\00:25:14.53
Heavenly Father,
I thank you O God,
00:25:14.56\00:25:16.01
for the precious
gifts you've given us
00:25:16.04\00:25:17.59
that you've taught us
not only worthy to say,
00:25:17.62\00:25:20.66
but also to give us a
gift while we're here to enjoy
00:25:20.69\00:25:24.21
witnessing and to
join service for you.
00:25:24.24\00:25:26.98
I thank you O God
that you've given gifts
00:25:27.01\00:25:29.26
to the church, to
the body of Christ
00:25:29.29\00:25:31.77
for its up
building and edification.
00:25:31.80\00:25:33.97
Please bless any individual
who's listening with--
00:25:34.00\00:25:36.45
any viewer who's listening
that they will have discernment
00:25:36.48\00:25:40.32
to find out and to
discover what those gifts are.
00:25:40.35\00:25:42.56
In Jesus name, Amen. Amen.
00:25:42.59\00:25:44.85
Well, thank you so
much, Pastor Dixon, for--
00:25:44.88\00:25:46.48
It's been a pleasure.
Yes. Coming to our program.
00:25:46.51\00:25:47.90
It's been a real
blessing to have you here
00:25:47.93\00:25:49.63
and to learn
about talents-- Yes.
00:25:49.66\00:25:51.60
That we can pray, we can
ask the Lord's leading--Yes.
00:25:51.63\00:25:55.08
We can listen to
individuals who have discernment
00:25:55.11\00:25:57.69
and we can ask God to
continue to develop us
00:25:57.72\00:26:02.27
through experimenting
with what He is wanting
00:26:02.30\00:26:05.33
to do in our lives. Amen.
00:26:05.36\00:26:06.73
At this time, I'd like
to share with our viewers
00:26:06.76\00:26:08.65
your address how to contact you.
00:26:08.68\00:26:10.05
That's fine. That's okay?
00:26:10.08\00:26:11.51
You may contact
Pastor Stanley K. Dixon
00:26:11.54\00:26:14.27
at 5133 West Condor Drive
00:26:14.30\00:26:18.67
Tucson, Arizona 85742
00:26:18.70\00:26:23.68
That's 5133 West Condor
Drive Tucson, Arizona 85742
00:26:23.71\00:26:30.53
If you're in the area, stop by
00:26:30.56\00:26:32.52
the Sharon Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Tucson
00:26:32.55\00:26:35.10
and you can hear Pastor Dixon.
00:26:35.13\00:26:37.38
Their church
service is on Saturdays?
00:26:37.41\00:26:39.53
Yes. At 11 o'clock? Yes. Okay.
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Also if you wish
to phone Pastor Dixon,
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you may call him
at (520) 622-2218.
00:26:45.92\00:26:51.70
Email is 3angels
number 3, 3angelsmsg@juno.com.
00:26:51.73\00:26:59.32
You know, it's always a blessing
00:26:59.35\00:27:00.72
that when you're trying to
make a decision for the Lord,
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to be able to form
and to come into agreement
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with individuals through prayer,
through sharing God's Word
00:27:06.63\00:27:10.39
and we invite you
at this time to take
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that opportunity to call
the 800 number that you see
00:27:13.11\00:27:16.29
on your screen or on
your computer screen.
00:27:16.32\00:27:19.28
Dial that 800 number.
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There are individuals who
are willing to pray with you,
00:27:20.71\00:27:23.91
to answer questions
that you might be having
00:27:23.94\00:27:26.45
regarding the talents,
00:27:26.48\00:27:27.85
regarding God's
purposes for your life.
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We encourage you
please to dial the 800 number.
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Do not hesitate. Do not wait.
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It is never too
late to serve the Lord.
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Isn't that right, Pastor
Dixon? It's never too late.
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He always makes a
difference in our lives,
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doesn't He? Yes.
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And He's always on time.
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Well, praise the Lord
for that and until next time
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we certainly wish the
greatest blessings that God has
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to abundantly
pour out upon your life
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and until the very next
time, may God bless you.
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And we look
forward to seeing you
00:27:53.99\00:27:55.36
in another edition
of "Issues and answers."
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