There is a wonderful
little story that comes out
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of the United
Kingdom, I think its Scotland.
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You are gonna love it
a sweet, sweet story, but
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teaches such
powerful principles,
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life changing
principles. We'll be right back.
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Welcome to Issues and Answers.
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The issue that I'd like
for us to think about together
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today is, have you read
the little book try giving
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yourself away, it's a good
little book I think its out
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to print now, but that is
our theme for this program,
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try giving yourself
away. And I believe that comes
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from the Lord himself.
There is a text in scripture
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that tells us the Lord has a
big plan for us. In Psalm 80,
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David is saying let
your hand be upon the man
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of your right hand,
upon the son of man who made,
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you made strong for
yourself. God says I want
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to make you strong
because I have a plan for you.
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I want you to do something
for me, revive us then we
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will not turn back from
you revive us and we will
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call upon your name.
So, the Lord is saying,
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I want you to cooperate with me,
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I'm gonna put my hand on
you but I want to revive you,
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I want to give you
strength and help because
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I have something
that I want you to do.
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And then in that next
chapter Verse 7 you called
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on me in trouble
and I delivered you.
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God has a message that he
wants you to give to others.
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He has something that
he wants you to do for him.
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In Psalm 149 Verse 4
the Lord takes pleasure in
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his people, he will beautify
the humble with salvation.
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I want to tell you a
story about a humble little boy.
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He was 8-years-old in
his church and the deacon
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was passing the offering
basket and apparently it was
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a large basket, when he
came to this 8-year-old boy;
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the boy tugged on his sleeve
and he said put the basket
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on the floor. And the
deacon said that's strange,
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I'm not gonna do that.
But he couldn't for some
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reason walk on and
just ignore that request
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and the little boy repeated
it, please put the basket
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on the floor. And the
thought came to the Deacon well
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he is not a bad boy, he
is not gonna do something
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bad here, so he wrestled
with this strange request,
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finally he put the
basket on the floor.
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The little boy stepped
into the basket and he said
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I am the offering. Amen.
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I am the offering.
That is our question to you,
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to me and to each one of
us God wants you and me to be
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the offering. He wants
us to give ourselves so
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completely to him
that we can be used for
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whatever task he has
for us, for his glory.
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I want you to meet
my special guest today,
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my friend Pastor Roy Rugless.
Thank you for being here.
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Thank you for having
me. And Roy you are Pastor
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in Tennessee, Nashville.
No, I Pastor in Athens,
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Alabama, but I also have
an administrative position
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in Nashville, Tennessee.
In Nashville, Tennessee,
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okay, alright. But you live
and Pastor in Athens Alabama,
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correct. Is that
North, South, East,
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West where is that in
Alabama? That is in the Northern
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part of Alabama,
west of Huntsville,
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Alabama that's where
we are. Okay, and you
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but you also work with
Pastors and Church members
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in five states. Yes
mam, cover five states.
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Tell us where that
is? Alabama, Mississippi,
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Tennessee, Kentucky, and
Northwest part of Florida,
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I am all over the place.
Wow. And I'm still pastoring
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and is killing me. But
it's a joy, it is, it is,
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it's a joy, it's a joy.
But you do have a message
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of hope and it's
about prayer and praying
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for the Holy Spirit,
yes. And the pastors in these
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five states, yes,
yes, are appreciating this,
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yes they are, and the
Lord is changing them.
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Yes, they are. Yes
they are. We talked about
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that in another show
that we did together of
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Issues and Answers and
you might just take a minute
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to bring everybody up
to speed that may not have
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seen that the Lord is pouring
out his Spirit, yes, he is.
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I want to say though
talking about that experience
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those of you who work
with us at our last telecast
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we had an experience,
where the Holy Sprit was
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poured out upon the
leaders of our Church.
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We got all the pastors
together and we experience
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Pentecost, hearts were broken,
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confessions were
made, a repentance was done,
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we praised the Lord,
testimonies were given and
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the Holy Spirit came,
but Ruthie I want to share
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something based on
your theme of sacrifice.
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We have a Latino
contingent in our organization,
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they are embryonic,
just getting started and our
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conference unfortunately
does not, can I, can I interrupt
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again, yes mam, when
you were talking about
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what happened and this was
at Indian creek in Tennessee
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yes in Tennessee, where
the Holy Spirit just met
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this group of
pastors in a powerful way.
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I want to ask you and
that really is intrude with
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what we are talking
about today and that is why,
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why do you think the
Lord was there in that group
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with the pastors, why
was he there in power?
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He was there in power
because first of all the Lord
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wants to do a special work
in the world, that's right,
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he wants men and
women to be prepared for his
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second coming, that's
right. The only way that's
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gonna happen is
through the outpouring of the
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Holy Spirit who God
gives to give us power to go
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out and tell people to
get ready and also to get
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ready ourselves, but
we need to understand that
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the people follow the
leaders, that's right,
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so the leaders now
have to get on board so that
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they could take it back
their churches, that's right,
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so that's what that was
all about. And that's what,
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why I believe the Lord
met you in a very special
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and powerful way with
all of those pastors. Yes.
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And church leaders,
yes. Because he was saying
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I want to equip you, I
want to empower you the
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pastors had an
experience that they've never
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experienced before in
their lives. I have never
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experienced anything
like that, I mean there
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is one thing to talk
about the Holy Spirit is another
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thing to experience him
working in your life, but
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to receive it in its
fullness where you are just over
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shadowed and you
know this is God.
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You know it's God.
Yeah, It's almost like Moses
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when he went upon Mount
Sinai, he is in the presence
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of God. This is like on
the mount of transfiguration,
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when the Holy Spirit
came in the presence of God
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came in and the
disciples they just overwhelmed
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and you know Roy, you
can live your whole life,
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you can live your whole
life reading and hearing
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what God is doing in the
lives of other people that
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you may miss it. You
can live your whole life and
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never really see God
do something awesome,
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that's right, that he
wants to do in your life,
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in your life. And I just
want to appeal to all of us
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let's ask the Lord
what he wants to do for you,
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for me. Yes, on a daily
basis, yes, he wants to do
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something to take
us out of the ordinary.
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I don't really think that
God is very interested or very
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impressed with what you
and I can do without him.
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Do you? I agree with
you 1000%. I don't think,
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he is very impressed
with what you and I can do,
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we are totally
depending on him. Yes, yes,
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but now let me take
it a step further because
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I want to get back to
your theme of giving up
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yourselves yes, yes, if
you understand that the goal
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of the gospel is to be like
God that's the transformation
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process where it's
supposed to be coming like God.
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God is love, I mean
that's the bottom-line,
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God is love. And
encapsulated in his love is one
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of giving, that's right,
one of sacrifice, that's right,
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you know the devil
was amazed Ruthie after
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he got kicked out of
Heaven, he was amazed that God
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would go to such
lengths as to sacrifice his son
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and for Christ to go to
such lengths as to sacrifice
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his life. So, that we
could live the essence,
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the essence of love is
self sacrifice. That's right,
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giving of ones self.
Don't you think the angels
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were amazed at
Calvary oh yes, I was reading
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a story where once the
angels understood what Christ
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was getting ready to
do that they themselves
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wanted to give themselves
instead of letting Christ
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give himself. They
didn't want that to happen
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to him. They didn't
want that to happen to him.
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But it also showed that
spirit of love which is in
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outgrowth of self sacrifice
and it comes from the father.
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That's who is. That's
right, that's the mind blower,
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that's right, God is a God
who gives of himself and gives
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himself, that's the mind
blower and isn't it beautiful
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when you see him working
and transforming his people
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to think of someone else
first because we on this planet
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are a bunch of selfish human
beings who think of ourselves
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first, I mean that is
just the way we are. Ever since
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the fall whether we
like to admit it or not,
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ever since the fall
our minds have been worked
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and twisted and now we
have become very selfish
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people. I think one of
high attributes of Christianity
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is the one of self sacrifice,
now that's hard to do,
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you know what it's easy to
give of what is in abundance,
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but it is very challenging
to give up our necessity
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and I'd like to suggest that
one of the hallmarks of true
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Christianity is being
able to give up ones necessity.
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But you know I want to
take you back to Roy because
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the little boy who stepped
in the basket, his name was
00:11:12.26\00:11:17.89
Robert Moffat. And God
saw the heart of that little
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8-year-old boy and he said
you want to be my offering,
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you are offering
yourself to me I'll take you,
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I'll take you to the
heart of Africa. I'll give you
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William Livingston, I'll
give you David Livingston
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as your son-in-law, I
will left the two of you change
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the heart of Africa, I'll
do something to show my love
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to that huge
continent. Here is a boy
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8-years-old who gave
himself, who said Lord I want
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you to take me, I am
the offering, isn't that
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something. The
Lord takes us, yes,
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he is glad to see that
here is a child who is serious,
00:12:02.66\00:12:07.22
he wants all of us, let
me go back to the Bible,
00:12:07.25\00:12:10.21
you remember the widow
with two mites, that's right,
00:12:10.24\00:12:12.13
there were people who
had great sums of money,
00:12:12.16\00:12:16.25
that's right, who gave
the offering and God was not,
00:12:16.99\00:12:19.71
Jesus was not impressed,
that woman she only had
00:12:20.16\00:12:23.82
two mites but in that
two mites was a whole living
00:12:23.85\00:12:27.13
her rent groceries all
of that. She gave of herself
00:12:27.16\00:12:31.76
that's all she
had. That's all she had
00:12:32.29\00:12:33.71
and God said she gave
more than anybody else.
00:12:34.73\00:12:37.20
See God wants us, he
wants our hearts when
00:12:37.23\00:12:41.33
he has our hearts then
he has us. He wants us,
00:12:41.36\00:12:44.51
that's right. So, so that's
one of the goals of Gospel
00:12:44.54\00:12:47.80
that we gonna be like
God. We gonna have to give
00:12:47.83\00:12:51.12
like God and like you
said because of sin we are so
00:12:51.64\00:12:54.27
selfish and self centered
and so the transformation
00:12:54.30\00:12:57.48
process is to take us out
of ourselves to be like God
00:12:57.51\00:13:01.81
to give of ourselves.
But, we don't have the desire,
00:13:01.84\00:13:05.14
no or the ability, no,
unless we go to his word,
00:13:05.70\00:13:09.54
unless we go to our
knees and say Lord what does
00:13:10.18\00:13:13.27
this look like, what does
this look like in my life,
00:13:13.30\00:13:16.29
I'll tell you a little story,
okay, there was an elderly
00:13:16.32\00:13:20.67
gentlemen at the
pharmacy, who discovered and he
00:13:20.70\00:13:25.24
was very embarrassed
that he didn't have enough
00:13:25.27\00:13:27.67
money to get his medications.
He thought the co-pay
00:13:27.70\00:13:31.75
was less and so he was
standing there in bewilderment
00:13:31.78\00:13:36.60
wondering what he should
do, if he should just leave
00:13:37.01\00:13:39.66
the medication there,
but he knew he needed that
00:13:39.69\00:13:42.32
medication. There was a
young man standing behind
00:13:42.80\00:13:46.34
him waiting and he
heard the conversation between
00:13:46.37\00:13:50.17
the pharmacist and this
elderly man and he said just a
00:13:50.60\00:13:55.38
minute he tapped him on
the shoulder and he said
00:13:55.41\00:13:59.33
just a minute, he was a jogger,
00:13:59.36\00:14:00.33
he have been out
jogging and he had just
00:14:00.34\00:14:01.67
stopped to get something
cold to drink, but he ran out
00:14:01.70\00:14:05.02
to his car went to his
place where he lived came back
00:14:05.05\00:14:08.36
with his wallet and he
paid, the difference paid
00:14:08.39\00:14:11.36
for the medication for this man.
00:14:11.39\00:14:13.19
And so while he
was waiting he was just
00:14:15.35\00:14:16.97
sitting there
waiting when the man,
00:14:17.01\00:14:18.74
the jogger came back and
he said okay let's get this.
00:14:18.77\00:14:21.56
So, he paid for the
medications patted the guy
00:14:21.59\00:14:24.79
on the back, he said
why would you do this?
00:14:24.82\00:14:27.40
He said you needed the
medication and I am happy
00:14:27.43\00:14:32.71
to do that for you, he
said are you a Christian? Wow.
00:14:32.74\00:14:36.42
He said well yes I am,
where do you go to Church?
00:14:37.09\00:14:39.92
Come on, say sorry,
where do you go to church
00:14:40.35\00:14:43.29
and do you know the man
went to that Church found
00:14:43.32\00:14:47.23
the pastor and he said I
want to tell you why I am here,
00:14:47.26\00:14:50.88
why I am here see that
may not have been a big deal,
00:14:51.88\00:14:55.55
but when you are willing
to be used, when you have gone
00:14:56.48\00:15:00.14
to the Lord in the morning
and said to him just take me,
00:15:00.17\00:15:03.20
take me on an
adventure with you, use me, yes.
00:15:03.23\00:15:08.01
Then the Lord
says okay stay alert,
00:15:08.61\00:15:10.98
pay attention because I
will take you to places where
00:15:11.58\00:15:15.54
I want to speak to
somebody's heart, yes, yes.
00:15:15.57\00:15:18.76
Now, that only happens
when we have the Holy Spirit
00:15:19.26\00:15:23.63
that's right, the Holy Spirit
is the only one who can first
00:15:23.66\00:15:26.78
of all give us the
desire and then empowers to do,
00:15:26.81\00:15:30.13
that's right. Let me go
back to Indian Creek once.
00:15:30.62\00:15:32.63
Yes. We prayed for the
Holy Spirit, we pray for the
00:15:34.19\00:15:36.31
outpouring and in the
midst of our meeting we had a
00:15:36.34\00:15:42.00
Latino group of
pastors as I mentioned earlier
00:15:42.03\00:15:45.79
who are just starting to
do work in our conference,
00:15:46.32\00:15:49.79
Oh, yeah I am glad
you got back to that.
00:15:50.18\00:15:51.15
Our conference does not
have the funds to really
00:15:51.64\00:15:54.25
sustain the
ministry like we want to or
00:15:54.28\00:15:55.92
we are able only to hire
just the few pastors here
00:15:55.95\00:15:58.44
and there, but we want
to do more, but because
00:15:58.47\00:16:01.28
of budget limitations we
are not able let me tell you
00:16:01.31\00:16:03.63
something what
happened with the Holy Spirit.
00:16:03.66\00:16:05.16
We got those Latino
pastors together made a circle
00:16:06.90\00:16:11.44
around them. How many were they?
00:16:12.00\00:16:13.13
They had to be about
maybe five or six Latino pastors
00:16:14.61\00:16:17.97
it's just the work has
just started and they're
00:16:18.34\00:16:19.36
scattered all over the
five states, scattered all over
00:16:19.39\00:16:21.84
the five states, we got
those Latino Pastors together
00:16:21.87\00:16:26.50
they told us about their
pay there are some of the
00:16:27.52\00:16:30.30
pastors who are
working without pay,
00:16:30.33\00:16:32.12
there are some pastors
who only can work part-time
00:16:33.27\00:16:35.20
they got to, see their
Bible occasional and the bad
00:16:37.11\00:16:41.19
thing about it those
who are not working for pay
00:16:41.22\00:16:43.18
those who are not only
getting part time salary
00:16:43.21\00:16:45.81
have two or three
churches as many churches
00:16:45.84\00:16:48.68
as full time people have
and they're still out there
00:16:48.71\00:16:51.78
and they're praising
the Lord, they're testifying
00:16:51.81\00:16:55.22
about his goodness,
they're talking about how souls
00:16:55.25\00:16:57.39
are coming in, because
they are seeing him work
00:16:57.42\00:16:59.48
but the thing about
it here the other pastors
00:16:59.88\00:17:02.36
there who are getting
full time salaries and these
00:17:02.39\00:17:05.93
guys who are not
getting anything and they are
00:17:05.96\00:17:08.89
working as hard if not
harder than the rest let me
00:17:08.92\00:17:12.15
tell you about the Holy
Spirit let me tell you what
00:17:12.18\00:17:13.60
happened after
they told a story,
00:17:13.63\00:17:15.67
they told a story
about how they turn to build
00:17:16.94\00:17:18.56
a Church without
money and all that kind
00:17:18.59\00:17:20.85
of stuff. After they
told a story we got all the
00:17:20.88\00:17:23.15
Latino pastors together
and we made a circle around
00:17:23.18\00:17:26.27
them, we laid hands
on them, and we started
00:17:27.26\00:17:28.99
praying and let me
tell you what happened,
00:17:29.02\00:17:30.89
you are not gonna
believe this. Sure I will. But I
00:17:31.48\00:17:35.64
wanna hear. You know part
of prayer is interceding for
00:17:35.67\00:17:40.96
others, that's right,
that's right, selfishness thinks
00:17:41.57\00:17:44.78
about self when we pray
sometime Lord I need this,
00:17:45.25\00:17:47.14
help me with this, give
me that. But when you really
00:17:47.55\00:17:49.90
are doing true prayer, you
are not, you are not before
00:17:49.93\00:17:53.40
you even ask for yourself
you ask for others that's
00:17:53.43\00:17:56.71
real praying
interceding for others. Ruthie,
00:17:56.74\00:17:59.07
that's right, we had an
intersession prayer for the
00:17:59.10\00:18:03.45
Latino Pastors, we
went around the circle,
00:18:03.48\00:18:06.16
the pastor was just
crying out for the Lord to do
00:18:06.64\00:18:09.36
something to help them
with the work I mean the
00:18:09.39\00:18:12.30
Holy Spirit was there but
not this is, that goes back
00:18:12.33\00:18:14.94
to the Psalms.
David did that too.
00:18:14.97\00:18:17.00
Yes, he said cry out to
the Lord, cry out, cry out, but
00:18:17.03\00:18:20.90
this is the equinox of
this whole experience in
00:18:20.93\00:18:24.14
the praying one of the pastors
talking about sacrifice now.
00:18:24.17\00:18:28.74
He is praying this prayer,
he says Lord I'm committing
00:18:29.82\00:18:33.93
half of my salary, I'm
committing half of my salary
00:18:33.96\00:18:39.35
to help these pastors
and then some of the other
00:18:39.38\00:18:42.02
pastor Lord I'm committing
half of my salary I'm telling
00:18:42.05\00:18:46.78
you the Holy Spirit
just came over and gave us
00:18:46.81\00:18:48.81
the spirit of sacrifice
that the pastors were crying
00:18:48.84\00:18:52.40
out Lord I'm willing to
give of what I have so that
00:18:52.43\00:18:56.18
this work could go
forward. Is it you're talking
00:18:56.21\00:18:58.14
about the spirit of sacrifice
that's what the Holy Spirit
00:18:58.17\00:19:00.41
will do, that's a
miracle, that's a miracle,
00:19:00.44\00:19:01.78
that's what the Holy
Spirit will do. Amen.
00:19:01.81\00:19:03.02
Because what is he trying
to do, he is trying to give
00:19:03.05\00:19:05.11
us to be like God. And
to change our hearts and God
00:19:05.14\00:19:08.17
is a sacrificial God who
gave up himself as a matter
00:19:08.20\00:19:13.21
of fact, that's right,
when you understand the story
00:19:13.24\00:19:15.84
not only the Christ died
but apart of God left him
00:19:17.47\00:19:21.55
as well. How do you,
how do you, how do you think
00:19:21.58\00:19:24.95
a pair would feel
watching his son die or giving
00:19:24.98\00:19:28.93
of themselves that was
part of God who died as well,
00:19:28.96\00:19:32.38
yes, yes, we serve a
sacrificial God and if we are
00:19:32.41\00:19:36.20
supposed to be like God we
also should be sacrificial,
00:19:36.55\00:19:40.25
we all should be giving
and let me take you a step
00:19:40.73\00:19:43.52
further not only do we
need to give our means but
00:19:43.55\00:19:48.25
we need to give up
our time that's right,
00:19:48.28\00:19:50.30
we need to give up
ourselves that's right,
00:19:51.01\00:19:53.47
whatever God asks us to
do, none of what we have
00:19:53.50\00:19:58.46
belongs to us, the clothes
that we have on our bags,
00:19:58.49\00:20:01.61
that's right. Does
not belong to us, right,
00:20:01.64\00:20:04.28
it comes from God I told
you true story, true story.
00:20:04.40\00:20:08.43
Well, the other one was
true too. And that was powerful,
00:20:08.46\00:20:13.59
beautiful, okay let's
have another true story,
00:20:14.32\00:20:17.28
I was, I was, I was a
student at Oakwood college
00:20:17.31\00:20:19.23
and didn't have a lot
of clothes, but I had a few
00:20:21.73\00:20:25.62
and there was a
student a friend of mine who
00:20:27.23\00:20:30.00
came over and we were
just talking, and he talked
00:20:30.03\00:20:32.54
about how he
didn't have any clothes,
00:20:32.82\00:20:34.94
he had to wear the
same clothes everyday
00:20:35.58\00:20:37.06
and now the Holy Spirit
00:20:38.07\00:20:39.04
telling go in
your closet and give
00:20:39.05\00:20:42.89
him some of your
clothes. Share what you have.
00:20:45.41\00:20:46.38
I told the Holy
Spirit I can't do that,
00:20:46.39\00:20:47.74
I only have few to
wear how in the world
00:20:49.65\00:20:51.29
and you know let's somebody
00:20:51.32\00:20:52.79
do this that has
more than I have got,
00:20:52.82\00:20:54.33
there you go and some
of the stuff that I had
00:20:55.04\00:20:56.71
was really nice
stuff, Lord I can't do that,
00:20:56.74\00:20:59.88
the Holy Spirit says
give him what you have.
00:20:59.91\00:21:02.84
The Holy Spirit broke me
down and you know sometimes
00:21:04.89\00:21:08.02
Ruthie how we want to give
stuff that's not that good,
00:21:08.40\00:21:11.05
which you didn't like
anyway. That's our human nature,
00:21:11.08\00:21:15.10
let me tell you what he
said, the Holy Spirit directed
00:21:15.13\00:21:17.79
give him your best suit,
give him your best shirt,
00:21:17.82\00:21:22.67
give him your,
Ruthie, that's sacrifice,
00:21:23.84\00:21:26.11
Ruthie there was something
that went in me that says
00:21:26.14\00:21:29.04
no I can't do this, but
there was something else
00:21:29.07\00:21:32.66
inside me that says if
you want to be like God
00:21:32.69\00:21:34.96
this is how God is,
God gave us his best Amen.
00:21:34.99\00:21:38.17
And I want to let
you know that I got even
00:21:38.20\00:21:39.56
though it was a struggle I
was just starting my Christian
00:21:39.59\00:21:44.13
journey I had just
come into the church went
00:21:44.16\00:21:46.96
to Oakwood, and the Lord
was teaching you something
00:21:46.99\00:21:48.90
big. He was sharing he
was trying to transform me.
00:21:48.93\00:21:52.39
That's right, so that
was my test and all of us are
00:21:52.42\00:21:54.16
going to be tested,
we may not be tested
00:21:54.19\00:21:55.71
in the same way but
we're all gonna be tested
00:21:55.74\00:21:58.31
and one of the test is
giving Abraham, that's right,
00:21:58.34\00:22:02.52
that's right, his only
son, but now Roy I love that
00:22:02.55\00:22:07.44
story and what when
you gave this other student
00:22:07.47\00:22:12.17
the clothes what
happened to him and to you.
00:22:12.77\00:22:15.28
Lord was rooting
selfishness out of me.
00:22:16.44\00:22:18.70
That's right, he was
rooting selfishness out of me
00:22:19.39\00:22:22.02
and I was able to
minister to that, that man
00:22:22.42\00:22:24.27
and joy came over his
face and he says man you
00:22:25.00\00:22:28.69
given me your best and
he was very appreciative,
00:22:28.72\00:22:31.60
that's what the gospel
is all about, that's right,
00:22:31.63\00:22:32.91
the gospel is all
about touching others,
00:22:32.94\00:22:35.23
preaching others,
but I believe that there
00:22:35.26\00:22:37.49
is another lesson in
that, what's that when you
00:22:37.52\00:22:39.57
give yourself away,
when you give yourself
00:22:39.60\00:22:42.46
to the Lord for
whatever he has for you,
00:22:42.49\00:22:44.30
you cannot out give
the Lord. Oh, he blesses
00:22:44.94\00:22:48.65
abundantly. And you
know what he just to be
00:22:48.68\00:22:51.41
honest with you
God really doesn't need
00:22:51.44\00:22:53.49
what we have, I'm
gonna go back to tie an
00:22:53.52\00:22:55.58
offering, you know the
Bible talks about how we are
00:22:55.61\00:22:58.47
supposed to return 10%,
it doesn't belong to us,
00:22:58.50\00:23:01.14
it belongs to God and
then give the offering, but,
00:23:01.71\00:23:05.75
but, but God doesn't
need it. This God who leads,
00:23:05.78\00:23:09.64
who owns everything do
you think he really needs
00:23:10.08\00:23:12.41
our money, no,
no, no, no the reason,
00:23:12.44\00:23:15.35
one of the reason,
he needs our hearts,
00:23:15.38\00:23:16.96
there you go, and one
of the reasons he does that
00:23:16.99\00:23:19.18
he wants to provide
funds for the gospel to go out,
00:23:19.60\00:23:22.75
but I think even
more important he wants to
00:23:23.40\00:23:25.20
transform us, he wants
to root out selfishness,
00:23:25.23\00:23:27.88
he wants to, the
more we give, the more
00:23:27.91\00:23:30.19
unselfish we become,
the more we give the more
00:23:30.22\00:23:32.86
unselfish. So, that
eventually we become like him.
00:23:32.89\00:23:35.54
I got to tell you
another story, I got so many
00:23:35.57\00:23:37.08
stories, go ahead, go
ahead, I got to tell you
00:23:37.11\00:23:38.45
another story, good. I
was telling you previously
00:23:38.48\00:23:41.88
about a lady who
came who was not a member
00:23:41.91\00:23:44.46
of my Church, who came
to my Church to my prayer
00:23:44.49\00:23:47.92
meeting and at
testimonies, you always got to
00:23:47.95\00:23:51.38
have testimonies, testimonies
are powerful, oh yes,
00:23:51.41\00:23:53.58
that's right, at testimony
time in this economic time
00:23:53.61\00:23:56.86
she says she was
only working, she was only
00:23:56.89\00:24:00.28
working part time I
think she was working 30 hours
00:24:00.31\00:24:03.05
a week and then
when the economy hit they
00:24:03.08\00:24:05.97
knocked her down to
15 hours a week and then
00:24:06.00\00:24:08.96
they let her go
altogether and she said she
00:24:08.99\00:24:11.85
needed some medication,
she didn't even have money
00:24:11.88\00:24:15.76
to go the pharmacy to
get any medication at all.
00:24:15.79\00:24:18.28
She didn't even have any
food to give her children
00:24:18.92\00:24:22.34
and as I am listening to
her, my heart just bleeds,
00:24:22.84\00:24:26.66
my heart just bleeds.
And I said this lady needs
00:24:26.97\00:24:30.42
some help, after prayer
00:24:30.45\00:24:32.34
meeting was over,
after prayer meeting was over
00:24:32.37\00:24:35.41
I didn't have a lot of
money, but I reached in my
00:24:35.44\00:24:37.61
wallet and everything
that I had I pulled it out,
00:24:37.64\00:24:43.47
everything that I
had I pulled it out,
00:24:43.50\00:24:46.59
and I gave it to her, I
gave it to her and you know
00:24:46.62\00:24:50.96
what she says, she says
I don't need it, she says
00:24:50.99\00:24:53.90
I am fine now, i didn't know
00:24:53.93\00:24:55.44
that did, but she
says I'm fine now,
00:24:55.47\00:24:57.97
are you sure, I said
I want you to have this.
00:24:58.00\00:24:59.71
She said I don't
need it I'm fine now.
00:24:59.74\00:25:02.36
But before you say anything
what the Lord was doing,
00:25:02.93\00:25:05.86
he was testing me again,
testing me but you know what,
00:25:06.94\00:25:10.81
this time it wasn't a
struggle, it wasn't a struggle,
00:25:11.58\00:25:14.98
I had no, I had no
reservations it gets easier,
00:25:15.01\00:25:18.15
it gets easier, obedience
prepares you for the next step.
00:25:18.83\00:25:22.46
I was willing I didn't think
00:25:22.53\00:25:24.57
of myself, I
didn't think this is
00:25:24.60\00:25:26.78
everything that I have where
is where is the next dollar
00:25:26.81\00:25:29.71
coming from that's growth,
that's right, that's right,
00:25:30.17\00:25:32.87
and that's like Abraham
on the mountain with Isaac.
00:25:33.34\00:25:36.31
The Lord was asking him
to sacrifice because he was
00:25:37.73\00:25:40.23
testing Abraham's heart,
yes, yes, let me say this
00:25:40.64\00:25:43.43
because our time
is almost running out.
00:25:44.00\00:25:45.15
When you understand God,
God is love, when you look
00:25:46.77\00:25:53.11
at his commandments
his 10 commandments that
00:25:53.64\00:25:56.90
nothing more than love,
the first four commandments
00:25:56.93\00:26:00.31
deal with love to God, that's
right, last six commandments
00:26:00.34\00:26:03.33
deal with love to your fellow
man, right. If we love God,
00:26:03.36\00:26:07.42
if we have true love we
will love God and we will love
00:26:07.45\00:26:11.51
our fellow man.
How do we love God,
00:26:11.54\00:26:14.04
we give ourselves
back to him, that's right,
00:26:14.25\00:26:16.01
how do we love our
fellow man we give ourselves
00:26:16.04\00:26:18.57
to our fellow men
that's commandment keeping,
00:26:18.60\00:26:20.48
that's right, its not a
list of thou shall not and what
00:26:20.51\00:26:25.07
you cannot do and prohibitions
it's all about love,
00:26:26.19\00:26:29.16
that's right, and if we really
understand love in his true
00:26:29.19\00:26:31.19
sense, love is
nothing more than giving,
00:26:31.22\00:26:34.24
giving ourselves
to God and giving
00:26:34.27\00:26:37.02
ourselves to our fellow men.
00:26:37.05\00:26:38.79
And no wonder he tells
us that's fullness of joy,
00:26:39.22\00:26:42.52
oh wonderful, oh wonderful,
fullness of joy, fullness
00:26:43.15\00:26:46.89
that's real
happiness, that's right, Amen.
00:26:46.92\00:26:50.50
that's real happiness,
I wish I had time to I got
00:26:50.88\00:26:53.92
another story but I know
you are getting ready to rap
00:26:53.95\00:26:55.86
this thing up. Well,
our time is about gone, but
00:26:55.89\00:26:58.23
I would like to say our
viewers thank you so much
00:26:58.26\00:27:01.05
for allowing us to come
into your homes and we just
00:27:01.68\00:27:04.56
want to say that we pray
for you, we pray that these
00:27:04.59\00:27:10.01
programs will be a help in
your lives as they are in ours.
00:27:10.04\00:27:13.72
We just pray that that
God will show you daily how he
00:27:14.81\00:27:18.94
wants you to give
yourself away, because he wants
00:27:18.97\00:27:22.32
to bring each one us to a
deeper level of joy. Amen.
00:27:22.35\00:27:26.20
A deeper level of
usefulness and understanding him
00:27:26.72\00:27:29.90
better and he tells us in
Daniel 11:32 those who know
00:27:29.93\00:27:36.23
him intimately are
privileged and he says
00:27:36.26\00:27:40.23
I'll make you strong and
able to do bold and daring
00:27:40.26\00:27:43.30
things. So, if you are
frightened, if you are afraid
00:27:43.33\00:27:46.05
to do some of these things.
God will make you strong,
00:27:46.08\00:27:50.46
because he has a plan
that is so big, so huge,
00:27:51.05\00:27:54.87
so much bigger than
anything we could ever
00:27:55.43\00:27:57.67
imagine. So, daily
let's begin the day by saying
00:27:58.37\00:28:01.41
dear God I just want
to give myself to you,
00:28:01.82\00:28:04.45
I want to give
myself to your plan and let
00:28:05.12\00:28:07.70
him surprise you,
it's great. God bless you.
00:28:07.73\00:28:11.07