¤¤
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>> It has stood the
test of time, God's book,
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the Bible, still relevant
in today's complex world.
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"It Is Written,"
sharing messages of hope
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around the world. ¤¤
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>> Hello, thank you for joining
us on "It Is Written Canada."
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This morning, we have a guest
who's going to be talking to us
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about prayer, and
he's a missionary.
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His name is Gem Castor. And
this morning, we were having
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worship here, and we
were looking at prayer and the
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subject of prayer. And
it drew my attention to the
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Psalms -- Psalm 5:3, where
it says, "My voice shalt Thou
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hear in the morning, O Lord;
in the morning will I direct my
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prayer unto thee,
and will look up."
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>> Gem, thank you so much
for joining us on "It Is Written
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Canada" today. We are honored to
have you here, because I know
you are very, very busy.
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And so thank you for being with
us here today. And we are really
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looking forward to your series
that you present, called
"Absolute Reliance."
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So, thank you so much, once
again, for being here, Gem. >>
Oh, thank you for having me.
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[ Chuckles ] >> So, some of the
thoughts that you were sharing
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with this morning were on a
quote -- a quote that Spurgeon
-- Charles Spurgeon -- quoted of
00:01:35.99\00:01:41.63
Martin Luther and how
that was an inspiration to you.
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>> Yes, one of those quotes that
really spoke to my heart is that
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Luther was so busy, and he said
that he could not get through
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this crazy, busy day without
less than three hours of prayer.
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>> Three hours? >> And it just
blew my mind. And all the while,
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I thought that prayer is a waste
of time. And he said there --
And he said that if you have
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time for secondary duties, God
has given us time for primary
ones. And the line that really
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spoke to my heart, in the last
line, it says, "If you do not
forget your --" Oh, it says
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here, "your other engagements
would run smoothly if you do not
forget your engagements with
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God." >> Hmm. >> Hmm. >>
And it really spoke to my
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heart because, most of the time,
we forget our engagement with
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God. We forget our time with
God, because we think that
spending time with Him is a
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waste of time. But, actually,
it is not. >> So, how did you
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discover this. For yourself, did
you -- you know, you came into a
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Christian home, and you were a
very obedient child, and your
mother taught you how to pray,
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and you just -- you've
been praying all your life? >> [
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Chuckles ] I wish I could say
that. I was -- I was an obedient
child, not because I want to
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obey. This is quite -- quite
funny, because my mom is quite
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strict. >> Okay. >> My mom
-- You know Filipino women.
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>> Mm-hmm. >> You have --
You have been around a lot of
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Filipinos. Yeah, by the way, I'm
a Filipino, so if you could not
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tell. [ Chuckles ] And my mom --
they call my mom a Hitler mom.
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>> Wow. >> Yeah, so, I go to
church because I'm not -- I'm
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not wanting my limbs to be
broken. [ Laughter ] So, my mom
is quite like, "You
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have to go," and now questions.
>> Yeah. >> So, I go to church.
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I'm a prayerful kid because I
want to please my mom. >> You
were being obedient,
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right. >> [ Laughs ] >> I
guess your mom had to kind
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of be a Hitler mom because there
were six of you. >> Oh, yes.
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>> And you're the youngest of
six, so she needed to be pretty
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strict, right? >> And you know
what? I thank God for giving me
a Hitler mom, because I don't
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know where will I be if I don't
have a mom like that, because
sometimes when we are kids, we
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don't -- we don't really
know what we're -- what we're
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choosing. >> Right. >> So I grew
up in a church mostly with the
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form of being a Christian, but
not really having Christ inside.
I was -- I was looking outside
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of the church and looking at the
other kids and thinking what
life would be if I enjoy my
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life. Right? They're
partying. And they're outside.
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>> So, life was not, for you, in
the church. Life was outside the
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church. Life was, you know, "Get
out of here." And you dreamt
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about that? You thought about
that? Was that the way you were
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thinking? >> Yes, I thought
about that. But at the same
time, I was practicing being
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Christian. >> Okay. >> I
was active. Don't get me wrong.
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I was active. I was a
youth leader. I even became our
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conference youth leader...
>> Ooh, wow. >> ...leading
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thousands of young people. But
people didn't know that deep
inside, I had some struggles.
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I had -- I had a longing. >>
Mm-hmm. >> And my longing was
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not really for God. I had some
longing for God, but not really
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sold out for the Lord. >>
Mm-hmm. >> So I was -- I was
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dreaming of something. There's
this thought running in my head,
like, "What would be
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life if -- What would be like --
What life would be if I spend it
not for the Lord but fully
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for me?" >> Yeah. >> Mm-hmm.
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>> So, that kind of reminds of
the parable of the lost coin. >>
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[ Chuckles ] >> So, because the
coin didn't know it was lost,
and it was inside the house, so
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it's inside the church. So,
really, Gem, you were lost and
you were inside the church.
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And you didn't realize that you
were lost, did you? >> You
thought you were saved...
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>> Yes. >> ...because you
were such a leader and you were
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performing all the Christian
"duties" that you were taught to
do. But it really doesn't sound
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like it was from the heart. >>
Yes, I was a hypocrite. And I
could call myself, "I'm
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the prodigal coin." [ Laughter
] But then something happened.
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Like, it's -- it's quite a
turnaround when -- when I begin
to hear testimonies after
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testimonies of people who have
been moved by God, people who
have been used by God.
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And there's this beautiful verse
in Romans 10:17, which says, "So
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then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God."
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But then, even if heard those
words, there's still doubt in my
head, "Are they really speaking
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the right story? Or maybe they
are just trying to convince me
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to join them?" When missionaries
tell their stories, the thing
that came to my head is, like,
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"Uh, they're just -- they're
just fooling me." >> Right.
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>> "It's not true. They just
want me to suffer with them."
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>> So, they were trying to
persuade you, in your mind? >>
00:06:36.76\00:06:40.00
In my mind. >> And it was,
"Faith comes by hearing." You
had heard the Word of God,
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and it really hadn't
changed you. >> Yeah.
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>> And so what was happening?
How did that change come about?
Because, obviously, there was a
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change from how you felt before.
>> There was a youth conference
back then, and I was the one
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leading out in this
youth conference. I'm the one
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organizing. I'm the president of
this youth conference. But, deep
inside, I was really
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converted. >> Okay. >>
And I guess this is -- this
00:07:03.72\00:07:07.62
is so true to most of us inside
the church. So, this speaker --
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wonderful speaker -- was sharing
this amazing story -- great
stories after one another.
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Extreme, powerful stories. And
then I looked at him, and I said
to myself, "Why am I not
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having that experience?" >>
Mm-hmm. >> "I want to have that
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experience." And then there
was this call, and he gave this
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call, "If you want to follow
God, you have to follow Him with
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all of your heart. That's the
cost. All of your heart. You
have to leave everything."
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I'm thinking, "Oh, I don't want
to leave everything." And he
said, "If you want to
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follow the Lord, then go at it
100%, because you could not go
on a half-hearted decision
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with God." >> Right. >>
He said, "The worst decision
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that you could make is to be
half in the world and half with
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the Lord." >> Mm. >> And
that's what my life has been.
00:08:02.34\00:08:04.95
>> Mm-hmm. >> It's -- It's been
like that. So, when he made that
00:08:04.95\00:08:09.08
call, I was just like -- my
heart was being pierced. I'm
thinking, "I don't want to
00:08:09.08\00:08:13.72
let go, but I want to have
that kind of life." >> Yes.
00:08:13.72\00:08:17.43
>> "I want to have that kind of
experience." >> So, there was --
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the Holy Spirit was
working. >> Exactly. >> Yeah.
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>> And He was guiding you. But
before that, you weren't really
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a Holy Spirit-led Christian.
>> [ Chuckles ] >> You were, I
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guess -- Paul talks about
carnally minded, you know, being
controlled by the body,
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controlled by your own human
sinful tendencies, but thinking
you're a Christian. >> Yeah.
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>> So, would that describe
how you were? >> Oh, yes.
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And a carnal Christian or a
cerebral Christian. >>
"Cerebral" meaning your mind,
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so you just -- you think about
it, so you're logical, you're
theoretical in your
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Christianity. You can give all
the right answers, but you're
00:08:57.37\00:09:02.57
sort of like a car without
an engine. >> Yes. >> Or maybe
00:09:02.57\00:09:07.04
[Chuckles] you're riding in your
sailboat and you're using your
oars, but you don't have the
00:09:07.04\00:09:12.25
sail up and it's not catching
the wind. >> No. Life was heavy.
I pretend to be happy.
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I'm happy. I'm a happy kid. I'm
a crazy-go-lucky kid. But, deep
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inside, the moment you're alone
in your room, it's just like
there's that emptiness.
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>> Yeah. >> There's just this
void. And when I saw that man
00:09:26.96\00:09:31.07
speaking, I was just like, "I
want to have that kind of life."
And especially when he talked
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about this missionary
called George Mueller. >> Hmm.
00:09:37.44\00:09:41.18
>> And he talked about this guy
who lived by faith and not by
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sight. Every time he needed
something, he kneels down. He
don't tell people about his
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needs. He doesn't let them
know. And he hint that he needed
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something. And just imagine, he
has an orphanage and taking care
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of a hundred kids. >>
Mm. >> Just imagine that.
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Not receiving any salary, not
receiving any regular stipend.
And he wants to prove to people,
00:10:00.80\00:10:05.23
because he lived in a time where
almost nobody believed that
there is a God who hears and
00:10:05.23\00:10:08.97
answers prayer. >> Right.
>> And when he passed away,
00:10:08.97\00:10:11.84
60-plus years of his ministry --
When he passed away, they had a
tally of every answer to his
00:10:11.84\00:10:16.91
prayer. >> Mm-hmm. >>
And -- And they had a grand
00:10:16.91\00:10:20.28
total of $7,250,000 U.S. worth
of answer to his prayer. >> Wow.
00:10:20.28\00:10:26.96
>> Wow. >> If that will not
get your attention, I don't know
00:10:26.96\00:10:30.26
what will. >> Wow. Well,
before we continue hearing
00:10:30.26\00:10:33.06
all about George Mueller, we're
going to take a break now and
we're going to listen to a song
00:10:33.06\00:10:38.23
called "Be Like
Jesus." >> Mm-hmm.
00:10:38.23\00:10:41.77
[ Soft music plays ] ¤¤
00:10:41.80\00:10:54.72
>> ¤ Teach, me, Father, what to
say ¤ ¤ Teach me, Father, how to
00:11:05.06\00:11:17.27
pray ¤ ¤ Teach me all along
the way ¤ How to be like Jesus
00:11:17.27\00:11:33.62
>> ¤ Be like Jesus, this my
song ¤ ¤ In the home and in the
00:11:33.62\00:11:45.87
throng ¤ ¤ Be like Jesus, all
day long ¤ I would be like Jesus
00:11:45.87\00:12:02.72
>> ¤ Teach me how we may be one
¤ ¤ Like the Father and the Son
00:12:02.72\00:12:17.27
>> ¤ And when all is overcome ¤
I would be like Jesus >> ¤ Be
like Jesus, this my
00:12:17.27\00:12:38.19
song ¤ ¤ In the
home and in the throng ¤
00:12:38.19\00:12:46.39
¤ Be like Jesus, all day long ¤
I would be like Jesus [
Instrumental music plays ]
00:12:46.39\00:13:06.88
¤¤
00:13:06.88\00:13:16.83
¤ Be like Jesus, this my song ¤
In the home and in the throng ¤
00:13:22.56\00:13:36.18
¤ Be like Jesus, all day long
00:13:36.18\00:13:44.19
¤ I would be like Jesus
00:13:44.22\00:13:54.93
>> There's one thing about a
song, and that is that,
especially if it's a hymn, that
00:13:59.57\00:14:04.34
it's a prayer. "To be like
Jesus, this my song, in the home
00:14:04.34\00:14:09.98
and in the throng. Be like Jesus
all day long, I would be like
00:14:09.98\00:14:15.38
Jesus" -- beautiful words.
>> Mm-hmm. So, Gem, you were
00:14:15.38\00:14:18.69
telling us about George Mueller,
and you mentioned something
00:14:18.69\00:14:22.62
about orphanages. >> Mm-hmm. >>
Can you tell us more about that?
00:14:22.62\00:14:25.16
>> So, when George Mueller
passed away, they just
discovered the Lord has been
00:14:25.16\00:14:30.53
answering his prayer, one
after another, and it tallied to
00:14:30.53\00:14:36.00
$7,250,000 U.S. >> Mmm. >> So,
some of that spoke to my heart,
00:14:36.00\00:14:40.58
like, "Wow. This is what happens
when you take God seriously." >>
He wasn't asking people for
00:14:40.58\00:14:44.61
money? >> No. >>
They were just sending it
00:14:44.61\00:14:46.78
to him? >> No donation,
no solicitation campaign.
00:14:46.78\00:14:50.72
He would just the Lord. And
the Lord moves the heart of His
00:14:50.72\00:14:54.92
people. One by one, people would
just come to him and give this.
And you know what blows my mind
00:14:54.92\00:14:59.66
even more is that this story did
not happen like 10 years ago.
00:14:59.66\00:15:02.83
>> Yes. >> It
happened in the 1800s. >> Yes.
00:15:02.83\00:15:05.23
>> So, when you convert the
money, it will amount to like
more than $200 million U.S.
00:15:05.23\00:15:10.61
>> Wow. So, he -- I understand
something about George Mueller's
00:15:10.61\00:15:14.78
story, that it wasn't
just one orphanage. >> Mnh-mnh.
00:15:14.78\00:15:17.48
>> He bought a number of
buildings, and they were
completely paid off.
00:15:17.48\00:15:21.45
He never had a debt. >> Yes.
>> So, you had these five huge
00:15:21.45\00:15:24.99
buildings at a place called
Ashley Down. And there was
00:15:24.99\00:15:29.16
hundreds of children. So he
didn't do all this, taking care
of children by himself.
00:15:29.16\00:15:33.50
>> No. >> No. >> So,
there's a lot of people
00:15:33.50\00:15:36.60
who were involved. And God is
just the one who's providing
everything for this.
00:15:36.60\00:15:41.20
>> And the salaries,
everything was paid for. >> Yes.
00:15:41.20\00:15:43.84
>> The food. >> Oh. >>
Sometimes they would pray
00:15:43.84\00:15:46.11
for food. >> Yeah. >>
And they didn't have any
00:15:46.11\00:15:48.68
food, and someone would knock on
the door and show up, and they'd
have all the food ready for
00:15:48.68\00:15:53.45
them. So, that is amazing.
Did you experience things
00:15:53.45\00:15:56.38
like this? >> Oh, before I
experienced things like this,
00:15:56.38\00:16:01.76
the thing that came to my mind
is that if this story is real,
then I have to ask God, "If you
00:16:01.76\00:16:08.73
are the same God like George
Mueller's God, then I'll see if
it's working right now,"
00:16:08.73\00:16:14.60
because, for me, God was not
real before. Growing up, I know
about God in theory but not in
00:16:14.60\00:16:19.31
practice. >> Right. >> So I even
asked God, "If you want me to be
00:16:19.31\00:16:23.55
a missionary, then I'll try if
this life works right now in
this 20th century." And I said
00:16:23.55\00:16:30.25
to God, "If you want me to be a
missionary, I will not receive
any salary. I will not receive
00:16:30.25\00:16:34.66
any stipend. I will only depend
upon you and -- and see if it
00:16:34.66\00:16:39.23
works." >> Wow. That is a prayer
of faith. >> Oh, it's not my
faith. It's not my faith.
00:16:39.23\00:16:43.10
>> How did you feel? Were
you scared? >> I was scared.
00:16:43.10\00:16:45.83
I was a scared little Filipino.
>> [ Chuckles ] >> Going
forward, I could not...
00:16:45.83\00:16:49.87
And I'm thinking, "I could not
do this on my own." And the fact
that I'm a business
00:16:49.87\00:16:54.74
graduate, when you're
into business, you calculate
00:16:54.74\00:16:59.45
everything. You calculate the
risk in all, and the risk is too
much, especially going out
00:16:59.45\00:17:05.59
without salary and all. And by
the way, during this time, I was
00:17:05.59\00:17:10.56
still a photographer. >>
Mm-hmm. >> I had a business.
00:17:10.56\00:17:13.83
And gradually, the Lord moved me
into this missionary field. And
the Lord closed down my
00:17:13.83\00:17:18.80
miss-- not my mission. The
Lord closed down my business.
00:17:18.80\00:17:22.00
>> Mm. >> And when the Lord
closed down my business, I gave
00:17:22.00\00:17:26.14
God a try. "Okay, so, what do
you want me to do?" And for the
00:17:26.14\00:17:31.71
past nine years, I have no
salary, no stipend, but God has
been bringing me from place to
00:17:31.71\00:17:37.72
place to place. >> Yes. >> And
from mission to mission. >> You
have been traveling...
00:17:37.72\00:17:40.59
>> [ Chuckles ] >> ...all over
the world, literally, and you
00:17:40.59\00:17:45.96
didn't have -- you have no
guaranteed salary. >> Mm-hmm.
00:17:45.96\00:17:49.16
>> How do you do that? >> Can
you give us an example of how
God provided for you?
00:17:49.16\00:17:54.70
Like, just the way -- Yeah, just
the provision that he made? >>
00:17:54.70\00:17:59.34
That's -- >> Yeah, just give us
an example. >> Okay, so, I could
00:17:59.34\00:18:03.28
think of one, because when
people ask me -- when they tell
me -- when I tell them I'm a
00:18:03.28\00:18:07.32
missionary, the next thing that
they ask is, "So, where is your
00:18:07.32\00:18:10.49
mission field?" And I told them,
"I actually don't have -- don't
have a regular mission field."
00:18:10.49\00:18:14.12
They say, "That's weird. You're
a missionary, and you don't have
00:18:14.12\00:18:17.49
a mission field. How does that
work?" And I tell them, "When
I'm in Asia, the Lord brings me
00:18:17.49\00:18:22.70
to one country after another,
almost every week -- almost
00:18:22.70\00:18:26.17
every month." And right now,
it's almost every week. And when
I'm in the U.S., it's
00:18:26.17\00:18:29.90
almost every week, I go to
different states. And they said,
00:18:29.90\00:18:34.14
"So, how is that possible?" And
I said, "I come to the Lord, I
pray to Him, and I tell Him,
00:18:34.14\00:18:39.38
'If it's your will for me to go
to the places that invites me,
then you will have to provide.
00:18:39.38\00:18:43.92
I will not tell people about
my need. I'll only tell you.'"
00:18:43.92\00:18:47.02
And a few hours later, sometimes
a few days later, I will receive
a phone call, and the phone call
00:18:47.02\00:18:52.06
will go like this. "Hey,
Gem, are you going somewhere?"
00:18:52.06\00:18:55.96
And -- And most of it are
long-distance call. I'm
thinking, "That's weird.
00:18:55.96\00:19:00.97
I didn't tell anyone.
Well, people are calling me." [
00:19:00.97\00:19:05.41
Chuckles ] And then I'll tell
them, "How did you know?" And
then they'll tell me,
00:19:05.41\00:19:09.14
"I was asleep last night, and
the Lord woke me up. And I could
00:19:09.14\00:19:13.28
not go back to bed until I
resolved to give you a call the
next morning. So, where are you
00:19:13.28\00:19:17.25
going?" And I'll tell them,
"I'll go to Malaysia,
Indonesia." And then they said,
00:19:17.25\00:19:22.26
"Okay, consider your tickets
bought." >> Yes. >> [ Chuckles ]
00:19:22.26\00:19:25.66
>> I know, for myself, I
had heard something about your
00:19:25.66\00:19:29.03
story. I heard that you were
talking at a certain church --
actually, in Tennessee -- and I
00:19:29.03\00:19:34.70
was living in British Columbia
at the time. And so I prayed to
the Lord, and I said, "If you
00:19:34.70\00:19:40.08
want me to talk to Gem, let our
paths cross." >> [ Chuckles ] >>
And it wasn't too much, a few
00:19:40.08\00:19:44.45
months later, I met
you in Ottawa. >> Mm-hmm.
00:19:44.45\00:19:46.98
>> And I said to you, "Would you
come and talk with us on "It Is
00:19:46.98\00:19:50.45
Written Canada?" And you said,
"Yes. I will be there." And
00:19:50.45\00:19:53.56
then, last week, you were in? >>
Last week, I was in Fountainview
00:19:53.56\00:19:56.73
Academy. >> In British Columbia?
>> British Columbia, yeah. >>
And the week before that?
00:19:56.73\00:19:59.39
>> A week before that?
I'm losing track now. I was in
00:19:59.39\00:20:03.13
Tennessee. >> Tennessee, okay.
>> The week before that, I was
in Silver Spring, Maryland.
00:20:03.13\00:20:07.57
A week before that, I was
in Walla Walla. [ Laughs ]
00:20:07.57\00:20:10.64
>> And next week, you're going
to be in Cambodia? >> I will be
00:20:10.64\00:20:14.08
in Cambodia. >> Okay. So, God is
leading you? >> Mm-hmm. >> And
00:20:14.08\00:20:19.25
you're not afraid anymore? >> Of
all the things that I have seen,
of all the evidence that I
00:20:19.25\00:20:25.02
have seen what God can do, it's
just like an insult to -- to be
00:20:25.02\00:20:31.16
scared. It's an insult to
somehow to doubt. Being scared
00:20:31.16\00:20:36.20
is normal. And for me, I guess,
being scared, having that fear
sometimes will somehow remind
00:20:36.20\00:20:41.90
me, "Hey, do not forget to lean
on the Lord who has brought you
00:20:41.90\00:20:47.21
thus far." >> Yes. So many
times, in the Scriptures, the
00:20:47.21\00:20:51.05
Lord says, "Do not be afraid,"
right? "Fear not." And He
repeats that over and
00:20:51.05\00:20:55.88
over again, yeah. >> It's
awe-inspiring and encouraging
00:20:55.88\00:21:01.72
just to listen to you, because
it sounds like God is your
secretary and your event
00:21:01.72\00:21:08.60
planner... >> Yeah. >> ...and
your organizer. And He's
scheduling all your
00:21:08.60\00:21:12.20
appointments for you, and you're
just letting him do it. That's
so encouraging and so
00:21:12.20\00:21:17.21
inspirational. >> You are so
true in that. And I discovered
00:21:17.21\00:21:22.41
that God is the best planner.
God is the best travel agent. >>
00:21:22.41\00:21:26.38
[ Chuckles ] >> He could
schedule things that you could
not think about. And I remember,
00:21:26.38\00:21:30.52
one time, when my -- when my
sister asked me. This was the
first year of me being a
00:21:30.52\00:21:35.16
missionary. And it's quite --
It's quite scary at first,
because I don't know what --
00:21:35.16\00:21:40.76
after that mission trip, I don't
know where I'm going to going --
where I'm going to go, I mean.
00:21:40.76\00:21:43.80
And then my sister asked me,
"Hey, are you going to take this
mission work seriously?"
00:21:43.80\00:21:50.47
And I'm thinking, "Am I not
taking this seriously?" I said,
"What do you mean?"
00:21:50.47\00:21:54.51
And she said, "At least take a
mission field and stay there so
that you'll have security, so
00:21:54.51\00:22:00.98
that you'll have -- you'll have
a place to somehow to grow. And
what if you have a family
00:22:00.98\00:22:06.92
later on? How could you support
them?" And then it scared me.
00:22:06.92\00:22:10.49
I'm thinking, "Oh, no, I
could not even take care of a
00:22:10.49\00:22:14.36
goldfish. How much more a wife?"
[ Laughter ] So -- So it scared
00:22:14.36\00:22:19.77
me, and I -- I somehow came to
the Lord and asked Him, "Lord,
so, what should I do?
00:22:19.77\00:22:23.54
Should I accept -- Should I
accept the offers that was given
00:22:23.54\00:22:28.11
to me? Should I apply?" And
the Lord was silent. >> Mm-hmm.
00:22:28.11\00:22:31.35
>> And then I realized -- and
this is one thing I learned --
the Lord is silent because I
00:22:31.35\00:22:35.48
talk too much. >> Hmm.
00:22:35.48\00:22:37.65
>> And I learned this beautiful
verse, Psalm 46:10, which says,
00:22:37.69\00:22:40.86
"Be still and
know that I am God."
00:22:40.86\00:22:44.36
My translation for that is
-- this is Gem's version --
00:22:44.36\00:22:47.86
"Be still. I am God.
You are not. So shut up."
00:22:47.86\00:22:53.54
[ Laughter ] So I shut up.
And the moment I shut up -- and
00:22:53.57\00:22:57.84
it's so amazing, when we are
being still in the presence of
00:22:57.84\00:23:02.01
God. >> Yeah. >> And the Lord
just reminded me, "Who took care
00:23:02.01\00:23:05.61
of you for the past year?" >>
Mm-hmm. >> "Who took care of all
00:23:05.61\00:23:08.82
those trips, of how you were led
from one place to another?" And
I said, "Okay, Lord,
00:23:08.82\00:23:13.52
I give this to You." I
surrendered it. And the moment I
00:23:13.52\00:23:18.33
surrendered it, I had peace. And
you know what's the most amazing
00:23:18.33\00:23:21.16
thing? The moment I said, "I
surrender this," a day after, I
received phone call, I received
00:23:21.16\00:23:26.23
e-mail, I received text messages
inviting me to go from this
place or that place or that
00:23:26.23\00:23:31.61
place. My whole three
months were booked... >> Wow.
00:23:31.61\00:23:33.98
>> Mm. >> ...the moment
I gave that to the Lord.
00:23:33.98\00:23:36.38
And after the three months, I
learned something. And I said,
"Lord, now I learned
00:23:36.38\00:23:40.85
something." >> Yeah.
>> "I'm going to give it
00:23:40.85\00:23:43.39
to You." Sometimes we say to the
Lord, "I'm going to give it to
00:23:43.39\00:23:47.06
You," but we are not really
giving it all. >> We're just
00:23:47.06\00:23:50.43
holding something. >> We're
holding something. But God is so
patient. After the three months,
00:23:50.43\00:23:54.83
he showed me. He booked
me for another six months.
00:23:54.83\00:23:58.27
>> Mm. >> After that six months,
fully booked for six months,
00:23:58.27\00:24:02.47
every single week. After that
six months, I said to the Lord,
"I learned my lesson.
00:24:02.47\00:24:06.44
I will not put my finger in any
of your plans." And the Lord a
00:24:06.44\00:24:11.68
year and a quarter in advance.
>> Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. >> So, what
00:24:11.68\00:24:15.92
can we say? >> That's amazing.
>> So, you are a man who has
taken God at His word.
00:24:15.92\00:24:22.56
>> Mm-hmm. >> Is it something
unusual, or can God do this for
00:24:22.56\00:24:30.73
anyone? >> Oh, I could -- I
could definitely say that this
is what God desires for anyone.
00:24:30.73\00:24:35.84
>> Yeah. >> For me, I'm scared
doing this, and I'm not doing
00:24:35.84\00:24:38.77
this because I'm courageous. I'm
not doing this because my faith
00:24:38.77\00:24:42.48
is so strong. I'm doing this
only by the grace of God. >>
00:24:42.48\00:24:45.08
Yeah. >> It's only by His grace.
>> Yeah. >> So His grace is
00:24:45.08\00:24:48.02
sufficient for all of us. >>
Mm-hmm. >> So, you're -- You are
00:24:48.02\00:24:51.65
saying to all of us that it is
possible for any human being to
live the kind of life you're
00:24:51.65\00:24:57.36
living? >> Oh, very possible. If
God calls you for this -- for
this kind of life, it's the God
00:24:57.36\00:25:03.13
who calls you that will sustain
you, who will supply your need,
and who is our God.
00:25:03.13\00:25:08.27
>> Yes. >> A powerful God, an
amazing God, and a faithful God.
00:25:08.27\00:25:12.11
>> Mm-hmm. >> Mm-hmm. >>
So, Gem, we've come to the
00:25:12.11\00:25:15.48
end of our time, but I
would like you to close off with
00:25:15.48\00:25:19.51
prayer for us. Can you do that
for us? >> I will gladly do it.
00:25:19.51\00:25:22.58
>> Okay. >> Let's bow our heads.
Dear God, loving Heavenly
Father, Lord, we praise and we
00:25:22.58\00:25:26.32
thank You because You are
such an amazing, powerful, and a
00:25:26.32\00:25:31.09
faithful God. >> Mm-hmm. >>
Lord, I ask that You please
convict our hearts, that we will
00:25:31.09\00:25:35.10
give you a chance in our hearts,
in our lives, we'll let you lead
00:25:35.10\00:25:41.00
our lives, O Lord. Dear Father,
I pray that You please pour Your
spirit upon us and be with all
00:25:41.00\00:25:47.08
of us here and especially to all
our viewers and listeners. May
You draw them closer and
00:25:47.08\00:25:52.01
closer to You, and may we see
who is this God that we serve.
00:25:52.01\00:25:56.22
>> Mm-hmm. >> An amazing God, an
awesome God. Teach us, Lord, how
00:25:56.22\00:26:00.32
to be like Jesus. We ask this
in the loving name of Your son,
00:26:00.32\00:26:03.22
Jesus. Amen. >> Amen. >> Amen.
00:26:03.22\00:26:05.13
>> Thank you, Gem. So, friends,
if you've been touched by Gem's
00:26:05.13\00:26:09.73
story -- and I certainly have --
he was talking about certainty
and the fact that he didn't have
00:26:09.73\00:26:15.17
that certainty.
00:26:15.17\00:26:16.07
And so our offer today for
you -- and it's free -- you can
00:26:16.10\00:26:18.91
just call in -- the information
is on the screen for this little
00:26:18.91\00:26:21.98
booklet, "Certainty
in an Uncertain World."
00:26:21.98\00:26:25.25
And very, very helpful, I think,
just to know that you can be
00:26:25.25\00:26:31.02
certain, you can be decisive,
and you can trust God, you can
00:26:31.02\00:26:34.32
trust His promises,
and you can trust His Word.
00:26:34.32\00:26:36.99
And if you would like us to pray
for you, as well, you can call
00:26:36.99\00:26:41.30
the number on the screen. >>
So, Gem, thank you once again
00:26:41.30\00:26:45.60
for joining us.
00:26:45.60\00:26:46.84
And we are looking forward to
spending more time with you next
week as you share more of
00:26:46.87\00:26:52.34
your experience and God's
faithfulness. Thanks once again
00:26:52.34\00:26:56.78
for joining us on "It Is Written
Canada." >> Thank you. >> Thank
00:26:56.78\00:27:01.08
you so much, Gem. So, friends, I
just want to leave with you
again the words of Jesus, where
00:27:01.08\00:27:06.49
he told us that it is written,
"Man shall not live by bread
alone but every word that
00:27:06.49\00:27:14.10
proceeds out of the mouth of
God." >> Friends, thank you for
00:27:14.10\00:27:19.43
remembering that "It Is Written
Canada" exists because of the
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00:27:19.43\00:27:24.04
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00:27:36.05\00:27:39.35
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00:27:39.35\00:27:44.49
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