¤¤ ¤¤
00:00:00.80\00:00:20.68
>> Welcome and thank
you for joining us again on
00:00:20.68\00:00:23.05
"It Is Written Canada."
It is another beautiful day
00:00:23.05\00:00:25.89
here in Pugwash, Nova
Scotia, and we've been
00:00:25.89\00:00:28.89
discussing the three
absolutely essential ingredients
00:00:28.89\00:00:33.86
for a Christian
life, the building blocks.
00:00:33.86\00:00:36.93
Number one, we looked at
God's word. We need God's word.
00:00:36.97\00:00:41.97
And reading God's word so that
He can speak to us so we can
00:00:41.97\00:00:46.44
hear His voice. Secondly, we are
looking at and we're going to
focus on this one today and that
00:00:46.44\00:00:51.91
is prayer as a two-way
communication. So we hear God's
00:00:51.91\00:00:55.92
voice and we're speaking to Him.
And thirdly, sharing what we
00:00:55.92\00:01:00.59
have received from God early in
the morning. So we thank you for
being with us again this
00:01:00.59\00:01:06.33
morning. So when we talk
about prayer, is there -- I'm
00:01:06.33\00:01:12.03
thinking. You know, you can you
can talk to God and I love to
00:01:12.03\00:01:15.97
share what God is. Does He ever
get kind of tired of hearing me
talk over and over and over
00:01:15.97\00:01:21.01
because I just talk with Him
throughout the day? >> You mean
like repeating things and so on.
00:01:21.01\00:01:23.68
>> Yes. >> Yeah, I
wonder that too sometimes.
00:01:23.68\00:01:26.08
And it makes me think.
Being here in Nova Scotia
00:01:26.11\00:01:28.35
just across the way, in fact --
I think we're just a hop, skip,
00:01:28.35\00:01:31.35
and a jump from
Prince Edward Island.
00:01:31.35\00:01:33.42
>> Yes, we are. >> I can't help
but think about "Anne of Green
00:01:33.46\00:01:36.99
Gables." I think that's probably
my wife's and my favorite film,
00:01:36.99\00:01:40.66
and in that film there's that
scene where Anne is being picked
up by Matthew, who's always so
00:01:40.66\00:01:47.44
quiet and timid, and he comes
around the corner and sees her
there and he says, "Well, we
00:01:47.44\00:01:52.01
asked for a boy," and she says,
"Don't send me back to the
orphanage," and he says, "Well,
00:01:52.01\00:01:55.64
I can't really do that right now
because there's no train. You
might as well get in my
00:01:55.64\00:01:59.01
carriage and let's drive back
and figure out what we're going
00:01:59.01\00:02:02.35
to do later." And then, Anne
-- One of her spiritual gifts is
00:02:02.35\00:02:06.55
the gift of gab. And she just
runs at the mouth like a motor
mouth, and she's just going and
00:02:06.55\00:02:10.96
going, and all of a sudden, in
that scene -- I love the scene
-- she stops, and she looks at
00:02:10.96\00:02:17.30
him and she says, "Am I talking
too much? People say I talk too
00:02:17.30\00:02:21.20
much. I don't have to talk as
much as I do. I really can talk
00:02:21.20\00:02:24.07
less. I can be quiet.
I can. Really, I can."
00:02:24.07\00:02:27.01
And Matthew looks at her and
he says, "You can talk all you
00:02:27.01\00:02:30.48
like. I don't mind." And she
puts her arm through the crook
of his elbow and she
00:02:30.48\00:02:34.22
scoots a little closer and she
says, "I'm going to like you."
00:02:34.22\00:02:38.65
But I often think to myself, "I
wonder if God is getting tired
of me talking to Him about
00:02:38.65\00:02:43.99
the same sort of things that are
always sort of concerning me."
00:02:43.99\00:02:47.23
And I bring them before Him over
and over again, and I can almost
00:02:47.23\00:02:50.93
picture God like Matthew looking
my way and saying, "You can talk
00:02:50.93\00:02:55.90
all you like. I don't mind.
In fact, I love hearing from my
00:02:55.90\00:02:59.84
kids." >> Mm-hmm, yeah. >> I
take courage in that. >> That is
00:02:59.84\00:03:04.75
very encouraging. I like
that story. And so, for me, I'm
00:03:04.75\00:03:09.62
thinking that sounds like
one-way communication. You know,
00:03:09.62\00:03:14.09
you lay out your list before
God, and He's just listening and
listening. Yes, he loves
00:03:14.09\00:03:17.56
listening to His children. How
do we get two-way communication?
00:03:17.56\00:03:20.73
>> Yeah, that's probably equally
important, really, because for
far too many of us,
00:03:20.73\00:03:26.20
we've grown up "saying" our
prayers That's even a phrase we
00:03:26.20\00:03:29.97
use. I can hear my mom saying,
"Don't forget to say your
00:03:29.97\00:03:34.04
prayers." Let's say our prayers
and then we'll get ready for
00:03:34.04\00:03:36.78
bed. And that just carries
with it the idea that you do a
00:03:36.78\00:03:40.42
monologue. You say your little
prayer and you got whatever you
got to lay out there before the
00:03:40.42\00:03:43.42
Lord and you say, amen, and now
you're done. >> And God's kind
00:03:43.42\00:03:46.62
of just sitting there, "I would
like to say something." >>
"Could I get a word in?"
00:03:46.62\00:03:53.29
And the truth is the Bible
premise is that God actually
00:03:53.29\00:03:57.10
wants to communicate with us. He
really does. >> So he talks to
00:03:57.10\00:04:04.21
people all the time through the
scriptures. >> Oh, yeah. >> And
speaks to prophets.
00:04:04.21\00:04:08.18
He speaks to people, just
average people. So can you give
00:04:08.18\00:04:14.15
us a kind of a list of ways in
which God does talk to us that
we can know that He's talking?
00:04:14.15\00:04:19.02
>> Well, I could and I'd like to
do that, but before I give that
list, maybe I can put in a
00:04:19.02\00:04:23.43
little plug for something called
keeping a prayer journal. Some
people think that that's
00:04:23.43\00:04:29.23
sort of like, "Where are
you going to find the time for
00:04:29.23\00:04:31.50
that?" You don't have to
take a lot of time with a prayer
00:04:31.50\00:04:34.80
journal. Some people do
prayer journals where they write
00:04:34.80\00:04:38.57
lengthy entries. Others do short
abbreviations. I don't think it
really matters that much,
00:04:38.57\00:04:42.04
but there's some real value
in keeping a prayer journal. And
00:04:42.04\00:04:46.41
one of the values that I think
is most useful is as you record
in a prayer journal thoughts
00:04:46.41\00:04:53.36
that you've expressed to God and
answers that seemed to have come
00:04:53.36\00:04:58.79
to you in one way or another
over time that you make note of,
00:04:58.79\00:05:02.43
well, you begin to recognize His
voice. You know, you begin to
say, "Huh, I was thinking maybe
00:05:02.43\00:05:07.30
God tried to give me this idea
the other day when I was reading
and I wrote it down
00:05:07.30\00:05:10.17
like maybe this is from God." It
turns out day or two later, it
had to have been from God
00:05:10.17\00:05:14.54
because it fit perfectly with
what my needs were as the day
00:05:14.54\00:05:18.38
unfolded. And as you keep those
kinds of things in your journal,
they begin to accrue.
00:05:18.38\00:05:21.72
>> Yes. >> And you begin to
say, "Oh, this has got to be
00:05:21.72\00:05:23.72
God because I know before." You
know what I'm saying? And then
00:05:23.72\00:05:28.16
the other thing is it keeps
you slowing down. >> Yeah. >> It
00:05:28.16\00:05:30.96
does, yeah. And I know for
myself what was so key for a
prayer journal, and also just
00:05:30.96\00:05:36.70
recording answered prayers.
>> Yes. >> When you write your
00:05:36.70\00:05:40.50
prayers down in really good
notes that God looked back and
God answered the prayers, and
00:05:40.50\00:05:46.31
just the way He answered them,
and that's all -- then you know
that God really loves you and He
00:05:46.31\00:05:52.21
cares for you. >> I'm so
glad you mentioned that. Yeah,
00:05:52.21\00:05:56.18
because I think that if we --
well, George Mueller -- Have you
ever read about George Mueller
00:05:56.18\00:06:01.19
of Bristol that took care of
those thousands of orphans and
was a man of prayer?
00:06:01.19\00:06:06.53
I think so much of him that I
think if the Bible were written
00:06:06.53\00:06:09.10
currently, we'd have a Book of
Mueller maybe a first and second
Mueller in the Bible too.
00:06:09.10\00:06:13.30
Such a man of prayer. But
when he died, he kept prayer
00:06:13.30\00:06:17.81
journals. When he died, they
went through his prayer
journals, and they discovered
00:06:17.81\00:06:20.78
more than 50,000 specific
answers to prayer that he had
recorded over a period of 60
00:06:20.78\00:06:25.88
years. And I was kind of blown
away by that. And then I took a
00:06:25.88\00:06:28.85
calculator and I figured out
that if you and I would just
make note of one to one and a
00:06:28.85\00:06:34.59
half if you can of examples or
evidences that we've had per day
that God was active
00:06:34.59\00:06:39.89
or interactive in our life, if
we just made record of one or
one and a half of those
00:06:39.89\00:06:43.50
per day, over 60 years, we would
have more than 50,000 entries as
00:06:43.50\00:06:47.54
well. >> Wow. >>
Wow. >> And so it isn't so
00:06:47.54\00:06:49.17
overwhelming. >> It's not so
overwhelming. >> It wasn't like
00:06:49.17\00:06:52.04
George Mueller really got more
than everybody else. It's that
00:06:52.04\00:06:56.24
he kept a record. And like you
just said, Rene, that record has
a way of reaffirming you that
00:06:56.24\00:07:01.12
God's been active in your life,
if you can look back at it.
Because we all have down
00:07:01.12\00:07:05.02
periods. It's really good to be
re-encouraged by seeing, "Hey,
00:07:05.02\00:07:08.32
Jesus hasn't left -- Look
at all this." >> Absolutely.
00:07:08.32\00:07:12.13
We were packing the other day
and I saw Rene packing all these
00:07:12.13\00:07:16.06
books. "What is that?" It
was all her prayer journals.
00:07:16.06\00:07:18.53
So she's been keeping them over
the years, and it has really
00:07:18.53\00:07:23.44
accumulated. Are there ways in
which we can kind of go through
and say, "This is the ways that
00:07:23.44\00:07:28.94
we know God is talking to
us"? Are there different ways in
00:07:28.94\00:07:32.35
which he uses? >> Yeah, you
know, in the in the Gospel of
John, Jesus says that "my sheep
00:07:32.35\00:07:37.35
know my voice. They hear
my voice. They follow me.
00:07:37.35\00:07:40.56
They know the shepherd's voice."
And I have discovered from the
Bible actually at least
00:07:40.56\00:07:46.06
seven different ways that maybe
we can highlight that God uses
00:07:46.06\00:07:49.50
to communicate with us if we're
learning to hear his voice. >>
00:07:49.50\00:07:52.67
Sure. >> There's way more than
seven and I wouldn't want to
limit people to thinking, "Oh,
00:07:52.67\00:07:55.74
there's just those seven ways."
But seven may seem like more
than many would think there
00:07:55.74\00:08:00.78
were, but there's way more than
seven. But the first one that
00:08:00.78\00:08:04.48
comes to my mind is nature.
In fact, you know, we sometimes
00:08:04.48\00:08:10.09
refer to nature, and here we are
in beautiful Nova Scotia. We
sometimes refer to nature
00:08:10.09\00:08:14.42
as God's second book. >> We
do. >> And God's second book
00:08:14.42\00:08:19.43
was written first. This book
is the second book. Nature was
00:08:19.43\00:08:25.13
written first, and in Psalms
8:3-4, the psalm says, "When I
consider the heavens, the work
00:08:25.13\00:08:34.18
of your fingers, the moon and
the stars that you have set in
place, what is man that you are
00:08:34.18\00:08:38.28
mindful of him?" And nature is
just one of the ways He speaks.
00:08:38.28\00:08:43.28
>> That's right. >> My wife,
Margie -- she was going back to
00:08:43.28\00:08:48.06
school later in life. And she
was stressing out, and she was
00:08:48.06\00:08:51.56
on her way to take a test, a
final examination, in a very
difficult class, and she was
00:08:51.56\00:08:57.03
weeping because she struggles
with test anxiety. So she's
under pressure. She's driving to
00:08:57.03\00:09:02.97
take this test, and she's
weeping with anxiety in advance.
She's already kind of, like,
00:09:02.97\00:09:06.54
starting to freeze up. She
starts to pray while she's
driving and crying.
00:09:06.54\00:09:10.31
So I guess you call that
multitasking. [ Laughter ]
00:09:10.31\00:09:13.78
She says, "Lord, I would sure
love a sign that You're gonna be
with me in this test.
00:09:13.78\00:09:18.05
I just feel so anxious and
troubled," and no sooner did she
00:09:18.05\00:09:22.59
say those words and she crested
the top of a hill, and there's
00:09:22.59\00:09:25.56
the college right below where
she's going to go take the test,
and arching over the building
00:09:25.56\00:09:29.20
she's going to take the test in
is a gorgeous rainbow. >> Wow.
00:09:29.20\00:09:32.53
>> And she said it just felt
like God said, "Did you want a
sign that I'm gonna be with you?
00:09:32.53\00:09:36.37
How about a rainbow?" She felt
peace flood into her heart, and
00:09:36.37\00:09:41.14
just like that, she went into
the test and did great. >> All
the anxiety went away.
00:09:41.14\00:09:44.31
>> Yeah, yeah. And I don't call
that one-way conversation with
00:09:44.31\00:09:47.68
God. I call it a two-way
conversation, and God used
nature to speak to her heart.
00:09:47.68\00:09:52.19
>> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >>
So, the first one is nature.
00:09:52.19\00:09:55.16
Second one? >> Second one that I
would like to maybe make mention
00:09:55.16\00:09:58.46
of has to do with providential
circumstances. The way God leads
00:09:58.46\00:10:02.73
in your life up till now can
kind of give you a trajectory of
where He's taking you next if
00:10:02.73\00:10:06.77
you look back. There's --
Proverbs 3:6 says, "In all your
00:10:06.77\00:10:12.14
ways acknowledge Him." So look
at the way He's been leading.
00:10:12.14\00:10:14.61
And He will direct your path.
You can get that trajectory by
00:10:14.61\00:10:18.45
seeing how He's been moving you
so far. >> Right, right. >> And,
00:10:18.45\00:10:22.15
you know, there's all kinds of
stories I think that we can
probably tell about evidences
00:10:22.15\00:10:26.15
that we've had that God was
leading in our life, you know.
00:10:26.15\00:10:29.99
This thing that we're doing
-- Margie and I, for the last 11
00:10:29.99\00:10:33.70
years full time, working as sort
of as you might call it like a
freelance revivalists
00:10:33.70\00:10:37.63
or something like that. I
can still remember when we first
00:10:37.63\00:10:42.44
started, saying, "Lord I don't
want to be involved in trying to
00:10:42.44\00:10:48.94
book appointments. It's just
trying to generate business so
00:10:48.94\00:10:52.78
to speak." I can remember
precisely it was October 22nd of
2008, I was on my knees praying.
00:10:52.78\00:10:59.65
And I was saying, "Lord --" this
was very early in this ministry
00:10:59.65\00:11:02.76
that we've been doing now for 11
years -- and I was saying,
"Lord, if this is a ministry you
00:11:02.76\00:11:08.40
called us to, if the
providential meetings and
circumstances that we thought
00:11:08.40\00:11:12.20
funnel us into doing this really
were you, could I ask You to be
00:11:12.20\00:11:17.27
the booking agent? Because I
just really don't have it in me
00:11:17.27\00:11:21.91
appointments." to try and line
up And I said that in prayer. I
got off my knees and went over
00:11:21.91\00:11:27.25
and sat at my dining room table,
and my cellphone rang. And a guy
said, "I'm calling to book an
00:11:27.25\00:11:31.65
appointment with you for that
revival ministry seminar stuff
you do. Do you have any
00:11:31.65\00:11:36.66
openings?" Got off my chair. And
I said, "Do I? Actually I have a
00:11:36.66\00:11:41.60
whole slew of them." And he
said, "Well, tell me about your
00:11:41.60\00:11:44.23
calendar." So I'm telling him
about my calendar. And while I'm
00:11:44.23\00:11:49.44
talking to him, I get,
beep-beep, call waiting on my
cellphone. So I say, "Can I put
00:11:49.44\00:11:53.21
you on hold for just a minute?
I'll get right back." I said,
"This is Lee Venden."
00:11:53.21\00:11:55.31
And the guy says, "I'm calling
to book a seminar revivalist
00:11:55.31\00:11:58.75
seminar. Do you have any
openings?" Now I have chills
going down my neck.
00:11:58.75\00:12:02.42
I said, "I'll call you back. I'm
on the phone." Anyway, to make
00:12:02.42\00:12:06.42
that story short, this is not
an exaggeration. That very same
00:12:06.42\00:12:09.26
experience happened to me five
times in a row at the dining
00:12:09.26\00:12:12.89
room table without putting
the phone down. >> Wow. >> Wow.
00:12:12.89\00:12:15.46
>> Every one of them came
while I was on a call with the
00:12:15.46\00:12:18.53
previous guy. There's another
one calling, call waiting five
times in a row and every one of
00:12:18.53\00:12:22.24
them wanted to book and it all
happened after I got off my
knees saying, "Could You be
00:12:22.24\00:12:25.71
the booking agent?" And I call
that providential circumstances.
00:12:25.71\00:12:30.01
So I don't think that God
-- I thought that was two-way
00:12:30.01\00:12:33.45
communication. >> Yes,
absolutely. So God is providing
for your needs, and He provides
00:12:33.45\00:12:38.05
for our needs. We're going
to take a quick break, and we're
00:12:38.05\00:12:42.02
going to listen to a song, and
we'll be right back after that.
00:12:42.02\00:12:51.80
¤¤ >> ¤ I want Jesus to
walk with me ¤ ¤ I want Jesus
00:12:51.80\00:13:08.88
¤ To walk with me ¤ All
along this pilgrim journey ¤
00:13:08.88\00:13:27.77
¤ I want Jesus to
walk with me ¤¤ ¤¤
00:13:27.77\00:13:56.10
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:13:56.10\00:14:23.83
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:14:23.83\00:14:51.45
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:14:51.45\00:15:19.15
¤ In my sorrows, Lord, walk with
me ¤ ¤ In my sorrows, Lord, walk
00:15:19.15\00:15:40.20
with me ¤ ¤ When
my heart ¤ Is aching
00:15:40.20\00:15:57.29
¤ I want Jesus ¤ To
walk with me ¤ I know Jesus
00:15:57.29\00:16:15.94
¤ Will walk with me >> ¤
Walk with me >> ¤ Walk with me
00:16:15.94\00:16:33.99
>> All: ¤ Walk with me
00:16:34.02\00:16:41.40
>> And we're back with
Lee Venden. We've been talking
00:16:43.97\00:16:46.63
about prayer and how prayer can
be a two-way communication. And
so far, Lee, we have been
00:16:46.63\00:16:52.24
looking at how God speaks to us
through nature, how he speaks to
00:16:52.24\00:16:56.64
us through providential
circumstances. What's the third
one? >> The third one
00:16:56.64\00:17:00.55
that I wanted to highlight
has to do with music. In Psalms
00:17:00.55\00:17:04.05
40:3, it says, "He has put a
new song in my mouth, a hymn of
00:17:04.05\00:17:08.52
praise to our God. Many will see
and fear, and put their trust in
the Lord." I think that God uses
00:17:08.52\00:17:13.06
music many times to speak a word
in due season to us. >> Yes, he
00:17:13.06\00:17:17.50
does. >> You know what I mean?
>> Somebody puts that tune into
00:17:17.50\00:17:22.37
my mind first. The other day I
was a bit stressed as I started
the day, and the Lord put this
00:17:22.37\00:17:27.71
tune in my mind, and I didn't
really think about the words.
And then afterwards it hit me.
00:17:27.71\00:17:31.85
The words of that song were
"this is the day that the Lord
has made, let us rejoice
00:17:31.85\00:17:36.58
and be glad in it." So it
was like a prayer. But God was
00:17:36.58\00:17:41.82
talking to me and saying to me,
"This is what you need for
today." So nature, providential
00:17:41.82\00:17:46.56
circumstances, music. What's
the fourth one? >> Fourth one --
00:17:46.56\00:17:50.67
people. >> People. >> People.
1 Peter 4:10 -- "Each one
00:17:50.67\00:17:53.47
should use whatever gift he has
received to serve others,
faithfully administering God's
00:17:53.47\00:17:58.17
grace in its various forms."
Kind of like music. God uses
00:17:58.17\00:18:01.74
people. I like to call it Jesus
with skin on. You get an e-mail
00:18:01.74\00:18:06.92
from somebody, a phone call from
somebody, you bump into somebody
00:18:06.92\00:18:09.85
at the store and they say, "I've
been thinking about you," and
they say something to you
00:18:09.85\00:18:13.59
that you realize God knew you
needed to hear and He used
somebody to get the
00:18:13.59\00:18:17.33
message through to you. >>
Absolutely, yeah. Have you got
00:18:17.33\00:18:21.16
an experience where that has
happened to you? >> Well, the
first one that kind of comes to
00:18:21.16\00:18:23.83
my mind that's sort of extra
exciting to me is that we were
preparing to go to a very large
00:18:23.83\00:18:30.27
church near one of our revival
seminars. And just before going,
we got a phone call
00:18:30.27\00:18:34.34
from one of the pastors there
who said, "We tape our services
00:18:34.34\00:18:39.21
with a six-camera shoot for
television," and if you had a
donor that would pay the cost of
00:18:39.21\00:18:44.05
taping, we can give you raw
footage that you can turn into
DVDs later so that you can
00:18:44.05\00:18:49.96
spread these revival messages
further than you can physically.
I said, "How much would
00:18:49.96\00:18:53.63
that raw footage cost?" He said
it's a pretty good deal. He
says, "We can give it to you
00:18:53.63\00:18:57.50
for $5,000." And I said to
Margie, "I think this is
something -- I want
00:18:57.50\00:19:01.90
to make some phone calls and
see if we can get some people
00:19:01.90\00:19:04.57
who are interested in this
ministry that we're doing to
help pay for that."
00:19:04.57\00:19:08.24
And she said, "Lee, George
Mueller -- remember how he only
told God about needs.
00:19:08.24\00:19:12.98
He didn't tell people and God
provided. That's what we've said
00:19:12.98\00:19:16.62
we wanted to do. Now, why would
you change that right now?"
00:19:16.62\00:19:19.55
And I said, "Margie, it's not
a sin to call somebody who said
00:19:19.55\00:19:24.26
I'd like to help." She said,
"But it's not the way we've been
doing it." Well, I said, "I'm
00:19:24.26\00:19:28.80
going to do it tomorrow anyway."
And the kind of woman I married
00:19:28.80\00:19:34.07
-- Margie said, not to me -- she
prayed about this behind my
back. And she said to the Lord,
00:19:34.07\00:19:39.34
"If you want this thing to get
taped, would You provide the
money before Lee messes
00:19:39.34\00:19:43.11
up the deal by asking for it
instead of trusting You?" She
00:19:43.11\00:19:48.22
prayed that, and the next
morning we get a phone call. A
woman who's attending a
00:19:48.22\00:19:51.42
seminar where we're currently
going there to Lodi, California.
00:19:51.42\00:19:55.66
And she says, "Could I come by
and visit you for just a few
minutes?" So she comes by.
00:19:55.66\00:20:00.06
She says, "Last night I was
awakened four times with the
impression that I need to write
00:20:00.06\00:20:04.40
you a check for a specific
amount for a project that needs
00:20:04.40\00:20:08.10
funding. The first three times,
I just went back to sleep. But
the fourth time, I thought,
00:20:08.10\00:20:12.11
'If I don't do this, I'm not
going to get any more sleep.' So
00:20:12.11\00:20:15.78
I wrote the check, put it in an
envelope. I want to give it to
you right now because I want
00:20:15.78\00:20:19.15
to sleep tonight." And she said,
"If you want, you can open it."
00:20:19.15\00:20:22.42
And Margie opened it up
and it was $5,000. >> Wow.
00:20:22.42\00:20:25.62
>> Wow. >> So God used
that lady. Also used Marjorie.
00:20:25.62\00:20:29.82
>> Yeah. >> Margie,
yeah. >> Margie, sorry.
00:20:29.82\00:20:34.00
So God uses people. >> That's
right. Just another way, and I'm
00:20:34.00\00:20:37.73
sure everybody can tell stories.
>> How people -- >> People,
00:20:37.73\00:20:42.20
absolutely. >> What's the next
one? >> Okay, the next one -- I
was inspired reading
00:20:42.20\00:20:47.41
Proverbs 25:11. "A word fitly
spoken or written is like apples
00:20:47.41\00:20:52.51
of gold in pictures of silver."
Have you ever had the experience
where you're reading a good
00:20:52.51\00:20:56.22
book, and you just kind of
opened to the last place you
were to bookmark and start again
00:20:56.22\00:21:01.96
and that page of that chapter
spoke to your heart almost as
00:21:01.96\00:21:06.26
though you could hear God
saying, "Hey, this one's for you
today." Have you ever had that?
00:21:06.26\00:21:09.73
>> Oh, I've had that experience.
So, a little while ago, my
00:21:09.73\00:21:13.90
mother gave me a devotional book
that her great-grandmother used.
00:21:13.90\00:21:18.37
And it's called "Streams in the
Desert." It's an old book. It
was written in the 1930s or
00:21:18.37\00:21:22.74
something. >> Oh, wow.
>> Yeah, so it's really old.
00:21:22.74\00:21:25.95
The paper and everything is
old and the writing is very much
00:21:25.95\00:21:30.05
still -- >> Faded. >> Not faded.
>> Oh, it's that old script.
00:21:30.05\00:21:33.82
>> It's the old
English. Right? Yeah.
00:21:33.82\00:21:36.73
And so, anyway, one day I was
just feeling so discouraged and
00:21:36.73\00:21:42.16
down, and I opened up to the day
of that devotional -- >> The day
you were on for that
00:21:42.16\00:21:46.70
day? >> Yeah. So I opened it up,
00:21:46.70\00:21:48.77
and it was just like "Are you
feeling discouraged? Are you
feeling down and you
00:21:48.77\00:21:55.88
feel like you're being sucked
into this dark, deep pit?" And I
was just like, "This is
00:21:55.88\00:22:02.32
me." Right? And then
just -- God -- I knew
00:22:02.32\00:22:05.49
God was speaking to me and
saying, "You know what? I'm with
you and I'm gonna lift
00:22:05.49\00:22:10.96
you out of this." And so it was
just so -- it just made me cry
00:22:10.96\00:22:15.83
because it was just -- I knew He
was speaking to me. That was
just what I needed for
00:22:15.83\00:22:20.20
that day. >> That's
what I'm talking about.
00:22:20.20\00:22:22.94
>> Exactly. >> So what's
the next one on your list?
00:22:22.94\00:22:26.91
>> The next one is scripture.
>> Scripture. >> Yeah.
00:22:26.91\00:22:30.28
If these were in order of
importance, this would be first.
00:22:30.28\00:22:32.85
>> Yes. >> Because there's no
better way to hear the voice of
00:22:32.85\00:22:36.18
God than His word. It's called
the word of God. >> Yeah. >>
00:22:36.18\00:22:39.89
Yeah. >> So God speaks to us
directly through His word. I can
00:22:39.89\00:22:43.93
think of a time this happened to
me recently. I mean, we were,
you know, Rene and I
00:22:43.93\00:22:48.00
are going through this move, and
so we're going to Ontario, but
00:22:48.00\00:22:51.23
we're leaving British Columbia.
We've been living there for 12
00:22:51.23\00:22:54.00
years. And it really hit me one
day, and it's a nice kind of a
move and transition and
00:22:54.00\00:23:01.34
everything. But here I am --
there's no beautiful mountains
in Ontario where we were.
00:23:01.34\00:23:07.08
And it was just discouraging for
me. And so I was praying to God.
00:23:07.08\00:23:11.15
And I picked up my Bible in
the morning and I was reading in
00:23:11.15\00:23:15.26
Genesis in the sequence I was
following. And I was just
saying, "Lord, why did you send
00:23:15.26\00:23:20.46
us here?" And the very words I
read from the scripture -- >>
Right after you said, "Why
00:23:20.46\00:23:23.53
did you send us here?" >> Right
after I said "Why did you send
00:23:23.53\00:23:27.64
us here?" The words that I read
from the page, and I kind of get
00:23:27.64\00:23:31.04
emotional when I think about it
is, "The Lord said, 'I am
sending you to the land of your
00:23:31.04\00:23:36.44
father,'" and, you know, my dad
was from Ontario. And I was born
00:23:36.44\00:23:45.05
in Ontario, in Sudbury, Ontario.
And so I was like, "Wow." You
know, this is -- yeah,
00:23:45.05\00:23:49.49
this is -- >> So it's like he
was saying, "I know your address
00:23:49.49\00:23:52.49
and I know where I'm sending
you, and I have my reasons, and
don't forget -- this is where
00:23:52.49\00:23:56.53
you came from." >> And he wrote
that thousands of years ago.
00:23:56.53\00:24:00.27
But he had an appointment with
me that day and he was speaking
00:24:00.27\00:24:03.77
to me personally. So scripture.
What's another one? >> Well, you
00:24:03.77\00:24:08.24
know I'm just given seven here
at the moment. And this takes us
00:24:08.24\00:24:11.98
to our final one. >> Oh, our
final one. >> Yeah, number
seven. It's thoughts and
00:24:11.98\00:24:16.79
impressions. And I kind of go
back to the point where he says
00:24:16.79\00:24:20.52
in John chapter 10 that "my
sheep know my voice." >> Yes. >>
"They hear my voice.
00:24:20.52\00:24:24.49
And they follow me." and
sometimes his voice is in a
00:24:24.49\00:24:27.46
whisper. >> Yes. >> And that's
what I'm describing as thoughts
00:24:27.46\00:24:30.67
or impressions. >> Okay.
So there could be a bit of a
00:24:30.67\00:24:33.64
warning there because you could
have thoughts and impressions
and, "Am I sure that this
00:24:33.64\00:24:38.34
is really from God?" >>
That's true. Yeah, I think it's
00:24:38.34\00:24:42.61
important that you're grounded
in a daily walk with Jesus
before you start assuming
00:24:42.61\00:24:47.18
thoughts and impressions
could have been from Him. >>
00:24:47.18\00:24:49.62
Absolutely. So, when you're in
that connection with him, then
those thoughts and impressions,
00:24:49.62\00:24:56.66
you still want to test them to
make sure that God is speaking
00:24:56.66\00:24:59.89
to you. >> Uh-huh. But I think
if you've been learning to hear
00:24:59.89\00:25:02.53
His voice in all these other
ways, which are far more common
than the one I'm referring to
00:25:02.53\00:25:07.04
now, and you're, like you said,
grounded, then it's safe. Then
and only then is it safe
00:25:07.04\00:25:11.97
to consider that this was
an impression from God. >> Yes.
00:25:11.97\00:25:14.64
So do you have an experience? >>
Well, yeah, I can remember one
00:25:14.64\00:25:19.65
time a woman gave me a book
to read. It was a book called
00:25:19.65\00:25:23.55
"Him," H-I-M. And it was written
by a guy named Kenneth Fields.
She said to me, "This is a
00:25:23.55\00:25:27.82
short -- these are short -- Each
chapter is a short imaginative
00:25:27.82\00:25:33.03
sort of sanctified imagination
on the life of Christ based on
passages in the scriptures."
00:25:33.03\00:25:37.63
And she said, "I wanted to give
you this book because I know you
00:25:37.63\00:25:40.37
love stories about Jesus,
and these are well-written and
00:25:40.37\00:25:43.47
they'll move you." And she said,
"The sad thing is Kenneth Fields
had some some tragic things
00:25:43.47\00:25:47.91
happen in his life, and he
kind of lost heart." He ended up
00:25:47.91\00:25:51.41
leaving his family, leaving his
job, leaving his church, leaving
God, and just going, you know,
00:25:51.41\00:25:55.18
who knows where? In fact,
she said, "We don't even know --
00:25:55.18\00:25:57.65
The people who know him and
are friends of his" because she
00:25:57.65\00:26:00.69
said, "I went to school with him
when I was in college. We've
lost track of him, and
00:26:00.69\00:26:03.19
he sort of vanished off the face
of the Earth, although someone
00:26:03.19\00:26:06.73
said recently, 'I think he might
be out in the Olympic Peninsula
of the West Coast of the state
00:26:06.73\00:26:10.37
of Washington.'" Anyway,
she said, "Give me the book back
00:26:10.37\00:26:13.60
when you're done because it's
out of print and I can't afford
to give it to you."
00:26:13.60\00:26:18.97
Well, I left the book sitting on
a shelf in my office for 2 1/2
00:26:18.97\00:26:23.68
years. I didn't do it on
purpose. I just left it sitting
there and forgot about it.
00:26:23.68\00:26:26.75
And then one day, 2 1/2 years
later, I see this little book
00:26:26.75\00:26:30.29
sitting there. And I think, "Oh,
my word. I haven't read it yet.
And she said give it back
00:26:30.29\00:26:33.59
when you're done. She probably
thinks I'm a very slow reader."
00:26:33.59\00:26:36.42
So I started to read. And
the very first chap-- the second
00:26:36.42\00:26:41.83
chapter I read moved me so much.
When I finished, I had tears in
00:26:41.83\00:26:45.67
my eyes like you were talking
about, Rene. And just then an
impression came into my head.
00:26:45.67\00:26:49.24
It said, "Call Kenneth Fields
right now and tell him how much
this book means to you."
00:26:49.24\00:26:52.61
And I thought, "What? I don't
know Kenneth Fields. I don't
know where he lives."
00:26:52.61\00:26:56.75
It was like, "Call Information."
So I dialed the area code for
the Olympic Peninsula.
00:26:56.75\00:27:03.18
And I said, "I'm looking for a
guy named Kenneth Fields." They
gave me two phone numbers.
00:27:03.18\00:27:06.62
I thought, "Well, I'll try this
one first because it's closer to
00:27:06.62\00:27:10.53
where I am. Guy answers the
phone. I said, "Are you Kenneth
Fields? He says yes.
00:27:10.53\00:27:13.33
I said, "Don't hang up on me.
I'm Lee Venden, and you don't
00:27:13.33\00:27:16.43
know me. And I'm not a
telemarketer. But I want to ask
you did you ever write a book
00:27:16.43\00:27:20.94
called 'Him?'" He said, "I did."
>> Wow. >> And I said, "Well,
00:27:20.94\00:27:23.74
God just told me I should call
you and tell you how much it
meant to me 'cause I just read
00:27:23.74\00:27:27.94
the first two chapters, and it
moved me to tears," and he
started crying on the other end.
00:27:27.94\00:27:33.21
He said, "Have you ever heard
the story of the prodigal son
and how he went into the far
00:27:33.21\00:27:36.48
country?" He said, "I've
out-prodigaled the prodigal
00:27:36.48\00:27:40.06
times 10, and it is very lonely
in the far country, and I have
wanted to go home but
00:27:40.06\00:27:44.23
I don't think you can go back
when you're as far gone as me.
And I said, 'Just this morning,
00:27:44.23\00:27:48.63
for the first time in probably
10 years, I knelt down and I
said, "God, if you hear
00:27:48.63\00:27:53.10
prodigals as far gone as this
one, I'd like to come home but I
feel like such a zero.
00:27:53.10\00:27:58.04
If You could just give me some
sense that I've ever done
anything that was a value
00:27:58.04\00:28:01.54
to You, it would give me courage
right now." No sooner did I say
00:28:01.54\00:28:05.05
that, I'm on my knees, the phone
rings and you say, 'I have a
00:28:05.05\00:28:10.85
message from God. You wrote a
book that touched me deeply.'"
He said, "Lee Venden,
00:28:10.85\00:28:13.66
whoever you are, I'll be in
church this coming week and this
00:28:13.66\00:28:16.02
prodigal is going
home." >> Wow. >> Yeah.
00:28:16.02\00:28:19.09
Just an impression. >> So God
speaks to us. God speaks to us.
00:28:19.09\00:28:24.27
Friend, if you have been
encouraged to speak to God, I
just want to encourage you
00:28:24.27\00:28:30.74
that He wants to speak to you.
>> Amen. >> So I just want to
00:28:30.74\00:28:35.51
remind you of the words of Jesus
when he said to us, "It is
written: 'Man shall not live by
00:28:35.51\00:28:40.82
bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of
00:28:40.82\00:28:47.36
God.'" ¤¤ ¤¤
00:28:47.39\00:28:59.33