This is 3ABN NOW with
John and Rosemary Malkiewycz.
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Hello, and
welcome to the program.
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I'm really happy to let you know
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who we're speaking to today.
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He's a young man,
you're still young.
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It's Taj Pacleb who has a
program, Revelation of Hope...
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Yes. Revelation of
Hope. On 3ABN International.
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And so, many of you have
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probably watched
him on that program.
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So you are
really privileged today
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to be able to see
him here in the studio.
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So welcome, Taj.
Thank you so much.
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Aloha. Aloha.
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Hawaii. Hawaii.
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Yeah.
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I like the fact
that you're a young man,
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you're out there, Taj,
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and you're doing
things for the Lord
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because that's exciting.
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And, you know, young people,
you have that opportunity.
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This man has an
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incredible
testimony, hasn't he, Rosy?
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Well, we're going
to listen to it today.
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So stay tuned.
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Hold on to your seats because
we're gonna go for a ride.
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I'm sure we are. Yes.
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But I'm just really glad
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that you've been
able to join us today.
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Thank you for having me.
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It's always an
honor to be able to share
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and really
appreciate the opportunity
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to speak to you folks
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and all those who
like to watch 3ABN.
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This isn't the first time
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you've been in Australia, is it?
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How many times
have you been here?
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I think this is our fifth
time in the Land Down Under.
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We always love coming here.
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We really enjoy listening
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to the nice
soothing Australian accent.
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And the first time we
met Taj was when he was in
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Mount Corvette in Brisbane,
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at the Move By His
Power Witness Conference,
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and you did two of
the services there.
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The Highway to the Upper Room
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and Privileged Eyes
and Transformed Lives
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were your sermons.
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And if you want to
get a hold of this,
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we do have it here available.
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It's a very good series.
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And you can listen to more
of Taj but also John Lomacang,
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Pastor Tapiwa Mutseriwa,
and a few other people,
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including Charissa
Fong are all speakers there.
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So you have a
Bible verse for us.
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Yeah, Taj has
chosen a Bible verse
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from 1 Corinthians 15:10.
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And I like this
one myself, it says,
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"But by the grace
of God I am what I am,
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and His grace which
was bestowed upon me
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was not in vain,
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but I labored more
abundantly than they all,
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yet not I, but the grace
of God which was with me."
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That's a really
encouraging text, isn't it?
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Yes.
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You've chosen that. So
why is it meant for you?
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Why have you?
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Well, whenever I think
about my life, my experience,
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my background,
where I came from,
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and all the
things that God has done,
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in me and through me,
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I just recognize that
it's nothing that is of me,
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it's only by the grace
of God that I am what I am.
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You know, I grew up
in a real broken home
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and made a lot of
terrible decisions
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in my life,
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but I'm just so
grateful that God's grace
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was able to reach
me at a very young age.
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And the grace of God
not only pardons our past,
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but it empowers our present,
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and it gives us
promise for the future
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that God has great
things in store for us.
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And so I really
appreciate that verse,
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you know, Paul is talking
about how he was able to labor,
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but it was only
because of the grace of God.
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And when we experienced
that grace in our lives,
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it changes us, but
it empowers us to labor,
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for the salvation of
the blessing of others.
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So I really
appreciate that verse.
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So you mentioned you
came from a broken home.
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Obviously, you were born
in Hawaii, is that right?
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Yes, born and raised in Hawaii,
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but even though we
were born in Paradise,
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it wasn't always a pretty sight.
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My testimony is kind of like,
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how when God
took Ezekiel in vision
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and showed him the
Valley of Dry Bones,
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I resonate with that because
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that was kind of
the spiritual condition
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of my life when I
was born into this world.
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I grew up in a
family that was broken,
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my parents were never married,
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and they were
separated most of my life.
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Sometimes I'll be
living with my dad
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other times with my mom
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and I kind of grew
up in the midst of...
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Confusion.
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Confusion and, you
know, as a young child...
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Were they both from,
you know, Hawaii stock,
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you know, going back a
long way or other nationalities?
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They are
different nationalities.
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My dad is Mexican and German.
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My mom is 100% Filipino.
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And so... In Hawaii.
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They met in Hawaii. Yeah.
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And Hawaii is a melting pot
of all nationalities and so...
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I say it's a melting
pot in other ways too
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when you've seen the
news of those volcanoes
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in Kapoho Bay.
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Yeah, we got some
action in Hawaii for sure.
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So as a young boy
growing up, and by the way,
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how many siblings
is in your family,
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how many children,
brothers and sisters?
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Just one. Just one?
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So I was the only
child for 19 years.
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Really?
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That's actually
a part of the story
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how my mom and dad
actually got back together.
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And they got
married for the first time,
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and then three years later,
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they had my little baby brother.
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And so say mom and dad
19 years apart, just us two.
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And neither of us were planned.
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Well, let me tell
you, that's a nice ending,
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as long as the
ending continues to be
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a very loving and
kind relationship type,
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then that's a
great thing to hear.
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We've got to fill in all
the bit in the middle now.
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Yeah, that's right.
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So what sort of a
child were you in?
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Were you one of these rough boys
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or, you know, real cool custom?
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You know, I was pretty
laid back growing up in Hawaii.
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I mean, most people
in Hawaii are laid back,
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I grew up right
there on the beach,
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kind of a beach boy
going to the ocean every day,
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the ocean definitely
is my playground, but,
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you know, we didn't
have Jesus in our lives.
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My parents were not religious.
They weren't churchgoers.
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And so growing up, I had no idea
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what was God or who was God.
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And without a
spiritual foundation,
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I started making
terrible decisions
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at a very young age.
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I became, you know,
kind of a compulsive thief.
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I was really into shoplifting
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and, you know,
lying in first time,
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I was arrested
when I was 10 years old.
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So we're talking
about grade school,
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you know, real young and...
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You said, you know, Taj,
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parents make a
real impact on children
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in teaching them
right from wrong.
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And if you're in an environment
like you're describing,
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who's there to teach you?
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So, you know, you can't
say that it was all their fault
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or your fault.
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It's just a
product of life itself.
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And so that's
good that you recognize
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that I hope you learned
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after being caught a bit
that this isn't a good thing.
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Yeah.
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I think he said the first time.
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Yeah, first time I was arrested.
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It happened a couple
times, but, you know, after,
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you know, elementary
school, I went to high school,
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or as you guys
call it here, college,
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things are intensified.
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I started running
around with the wrong crowd,
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and, you know, getting
into drugs and the party scene.
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And as I look back, I realized
that I was just trying to fill
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an emptiness in my life,
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there was
something missing a void,
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and I was looking for
something to satisfy it,
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but all I could
find was stimulation,
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not true satisfaction.
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You know, sin
will stimulate you,
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but it never satisfy you.
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It'll give you a
high for the moment
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or fun for a fleeting moment,
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but it will never fill the
void and the emptiness within.
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And that's why I
became an addict,
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you know, doing it
once wasn't enough,
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you have to do it
over and over again.
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One party is not enough.
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You have to go
from party to party.
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When you go home,
you're alone again?
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Yeah, yeah.
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It's the
stimulation isn't there?
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Without Christ life is
like a never ending pursuit
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of stimulation, but
you never satisfied.
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And that was my life basically.
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And at that time, as a teenager,
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I was living with my mom,
and she was a single parent,
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trying her best to steer
me in the right direction.
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Would have been hard.
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Yeah, it was difficult for
her, but she was praying for me.
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That's one of
the beautiful things
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that my mom did for me
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was that even though I
caused her so much pain
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and headache and heartache,
she was praying for me.
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And, you know,
throughout that time period,
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she had come to
know God for herself.
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And she started, you know,
a relationship with the Lord.
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And so while I was
partying, she was praying.
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And the reason
why I'm here today
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is because God heard her prayer.
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And I just want to
encourage the parents out there,
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I know that
there are many people
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who have children that are lost
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out there in the
world, or lost in the church.
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And, you know, sometimes
we get so discouraged and down
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because we can't
imagine heaven without our kids,
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but I just want to
encourage the parents
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to keep praying
for your children,
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keep loving them,
keep inviting them,
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keep pleading with them.
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And even though you
may not be able to see
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a change in their lives,
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while you're sleeping, God
is still working upon them.
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And one day by God's grace,
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many of the young
people are gonna turn around
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and give their
hearts to Jesus and...
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That's so true.
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But, you know, it's not only
the parents that need to pray,
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it's the
grandparents, and the neighbors,
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and anyone else who
knows the situation.
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It's so important
because God hears our prayers.
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And when we are earnest
from grandparents to parents
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and even brothers and
sisters praying for one another,
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it's really
powerful what God will do.
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Amen.
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I believe that
with all my heart,
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I mean, that's
why I'm here today.
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So your mom's praying for you.
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You're now in high school.
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Yeah.
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And the Lord was
definitely setting
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in motion
operations to reach me.
00:09:50.62\00:09:53.19
And, you know,
there's so many details of it,
00:09:53.22\00:09:55.22
but the main significant thing
that happened was we were...
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I was at home one day just...
00:10:01.06\00:10:03.70
by myself
getting high by myself.
00:10:03.73\00:10:06.47
And two young people came
and they knocked on my door.
00:10:06.50\00:10:09.90
And they invited me to
a Bible prophecy seminar.
00:10:09.94\00:10:13.07
And when I
looked into their faces,
00:10:13.11\00:10:16.01
they spoke with
so much conviction
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and so much passion.
00:10:18.01\00:10:19.91
And really, they
were appealing to me,
00:10:19.95\00:10:23.59
pleading with me to
come to those meetings.
00:10:23.62\00:10:26.22
And that
invitation I received that day
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was like an invitation to heaven
00:10:28.39\00:10:30.76
because when I
went to those meetings,
00:10:30.79\00:10:34.03
that's when Jesus found me.
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That's when my life was changed.
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That's when I started to
live for the very first time.
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You think that it was
part of the appeal to you to go
00:10:39.77\00:10:43.20
was the way they invited you?
00:10:43.24\00:10:45.67
Absolutely.
00:10:45.71\00:10:47.04
The verse they used,
or just the fact of it,
00:10:47.08\00:10:49.18
this would be interesting...
00:10:49.21\00:10:50.55
'Cause it would have been
strange for a guy like yourself
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and your background,
00:10:53.05\00:10:54.38
to have someone
knock on your door,
00:10:54.42\00:10:56.58
and talk about God
and Jesus and come along
00:10:56.62\00:10:58.65
and study, you know, I
mean that would have been.
00:10:58.69\00:11:00.02
And you to
accept the invitation.
00:11:00.06\00:11:02.66
What was it do you think
that really got you to go?
00:11:02.69\00:11:05.76
Well, just the
look on their face,
00:11:05.79\00:11:07.50
and the conviction
that they spoke with?
00:11:07.53\00:11:10.03
It was really the Holy
Spirit. Their sincerity.
00:11:10.07\00:11:11.73
Yeah. They were sincere.
00:11:11.77\00:11:13.23
They were serious.
00:11:13.27\00:11:14.60
They were solemn.
00:11:14.64\00:11:15.97
And it was the
Holy Spirit using that,
00:11:16.00\00:11:18.51
to help me to recognize that
00:11:18.54\00:11:21.01
there was
something missing in my life.
00:11:21.04\00:11:22.51
So were they of your
age group? Yeah, same age.
00:11:22.54\00:11:25.45
I had known them,
you know, surfacely.
00:11:25.48\00:11:28.45
So I was familiar
with who these guys were.
00:11:28.48\00:11:32.12
And actually had
known them to be,
00:11:32.15\00:11:34.32
you know, kind of careless,
00:11:34.36\00:11:35.69
and not really
serious about God,
00:11:35.72\00:11:37.59
but when I saw them
at my door that day,
00:11:37.63\00:11:40.50
there was a change to
happen in their hearts.
00:11:40.53\00:11:42.56
And I recognize
that, man, if God can,
00:11:42.60\00:11:46.47
has done something for them.
00:11:46.50\00:11:48.24
Can you do it
for me? Sure, He can.
00:11:48.27\00:11:49.64
He can do for me, too. Yes.
00:11:49.67\00:11:51.01
You know, the
thought that comes to my mind
00:11:51.04\00:11:52.77
is in the Bible where it says
00:11:52.81\00:11:55.24
that God spoke with authority
never man spake like this man.
00:11:55.28\00:11:59.45
And I can just imagine,
00:11:59.48\00:12:01.38
you know, these
young people at the door,
00:12:01.42\00:12:03.49
the way they spoke to you
00:12:03.52\00:12:04.85
was really with
some form of authority.
00:12:04.89\00:12:07.09
Absolutely.
00:12:07.12\00:12:08.46
That they knew what
they were talking about.
00:12:08.49\00:12:09.99
Yeah, they have
the armor of God arm.
00:12:10.03\00:12:11.36
And so, then it's compelling
like it was with Jesus,
00:12:11.39\00:12:13.90
Jesus knew what
He was talking about.
00:12:13.93\00:12:15.60
And it compelled
people to come and listen.
00:12:15.63\00:12:17.77
Amen.
00:12:17.80\00:12:19.13
And I think that
God wants to do that
00:12:19.17\00:12:20.97
through all of our voices.
00:12:21.00\00:12:22.70
To go out there
with holy boldness,
00:12:22.74\00:12:25.07
and divine love, and
to give the invitation,
00:12:25.11\00:12:27.88
the appeal for people
to come to taste and see
00:12:27.91\00:12:30.71
just how good God
is for themselves.
00:12:30.75\00:12:33.05
And, you know, God
used those young men.
00:12:33.08\00:12:36.28
They were teenagers like
me, to reach another teenager.
00:12:36.32\00:12:39.39
And so it doesn't
matter how old you are
00:12:39.42\00:12:41.86
or who you are, God
can use all of our voices
00:12:41.89\00:12:44.46
to make a eternal
impact on the lives of people.
00:12:44.49\00:12:47.76
So you went to the meetings?
00:12:47.80\00:12:51.37
Who was taking the meeting?
00:12:51.40\00:12:53.40
Yeah, it was
actually a lay evangelist,
00:12:53.44\00:12:55.30
a local guy from
Hawaii that lives in Hawaii.
00:12:55.34\00:12:58.81
His name is Nehemiah
Falatengo, Samoan brother.
00:12:58.84\00:13:02.81
And he preached every night,
he was very short in stature,
00:13:02.84\00:13:07.35
but he had a real
loud, authoritative voice,
00:13:07.38\00:13:11.59
the Holy Spirit was with him.
00:13:11.62\00:13:13.32
And he preached
night after nights,
00:13:13.36\00:13:15.39
I went to those
meetings, sometimes I missed,
00:13:15.42\00:13:17.93
but, like, I was drawn,
00:13:17.96\00:13:19.83
you know, I was drawn, you know,
00:13:19.86\00:13:21.26
the Bible says in Ecclesiastes
00:13:21.30\00:13:22.76
that God has placed
within the heart of man
00:13:22.80\00:13:25.33
an eternal space,
eternity in our hearts.
00:13:25.37\00:13:30.01
And that verse really
helps me to understand
00:13:30.04\00:13:33.38
the experience I
was going through,
00:13:33.41\00:13:35.61
deeply within the
nature of man's existence
00:13:35.64\00:13:39.35
is an eternal space,
00:13:39.38\00:13:40.72
a space that can
only be filled by
00:13:40.75\00:13:42.35
one that is eternal
in nature that is God.
00:13:42.38\00:13:45.39
And so when I was
going to those meetings,
00:13:45.42\00:13:49.52
God was awakening me
00:13:49.56\00:13:50.96
to the
realization of that emptiness,
00:13:50.99\00:13:52.73
that eternal space that
He was trying to fill in
00:13:52.76\00:13:56.23
and as I was listening
to the message of the Bible,
00:13:56.26\00:13:58.77
the beautiful
message of the three angels,
00:13:58.80\00:14:01.27
Christ-centered, Christ-focused,
00:14:01.30\00:14:04.04
the Word of God was able
to penetrate my clouded mind,
00:14:04.07\00:14:06.64
and I saw my need of Jesus
00:14:06.68\00:14:09.38
and I recognize
that He was the only one
00:14:09.41\00:14:11.51
that can satisfy
the longing of my heart.
00:14:11.55\00:14:15.25
So I kept going, and,
you know, sometimes I miss,
00:14:15.28\00:14:18.05
it was definitely a battle.
00:14:18.09\00:14:19.42
Sometimes I went to
those meetings high.
00:14:19.45\00:14:22.52
But God was
working in a beautiful way.
00:14:22.56\00:14:25.19
And one night
after one of the meetings
00:14:25.23\00:14:27.30
towards the end of the meeting,
00:14:27.33\00:14:28.76
He made a call
for people to come
00:14:28.80\00:14:30.20
to the front of the altar,
00:14:30.23\00:14:31.57
and I found myself
struggling in my mind,
00:14:31.60\00:14:34.74
the devil whispering in my ear,
00:14:34.77\00:14:36.44
all the reasons
why I shouldn't come.
00:14:36.47\00:14:39.47
He was saying if you
give your heart to God,
00:14:39.51\00:14:41.44
what are your
friends gonna think?
00:14:41.48\00:14:42.91
They're gonna think you're weak.
00:14:42.94\00:14:44.28
That's a real
issue for a young person.
00:14:44.31\00:14:46.48
Yeah, so concerned about what
other people think about us,
00:14:46.51\00:14:49.82
but at the same time,
God was speaking to me
00:14:49.85\00:14:51.69
and calling me
and I recognize that
00:14:51.72\00:14:53.96
I would rather
be saved by myself
00:14:53.99\00:14:55.86
than to be lost
in a crowd of friends
00:14:55.89\00:14:58.23
that these individuals were...
00:14:58.26\00:15:01.50
I was allowing them to
stand between me and salvation.
00:15:01.53\00:15:05.57
And it wasn't worth it.
00:15:05.60\00:15:06.94
And so, the Lord just
gave me the courage to respond.
00:15:06.97\00:15:10.77
And I went to the
altar, and I prayed
00:15:10.81\00:15:13.21
to God sincerely for
the first time in my life.
00:15:13.24\00:15:16.24
And I said,
"God, if you're there,
00:15:16.28\00:15:17.61
and if you're real,
00:15:17.65\00:15:18.98
if you truly have
a better life for me,
00:15:19.01\00:15:20.52
take away these addictions,
00:15:20.55\00:15:22.15
the desire for it so
that I no longer want it."
00:15:22.18\00:15:24.75
And when I pray that prayer,
00:15:24.79\00:15:26.32
the Lord took it from me.
00:15:26.35\00:15:27.69
And He made me a new
person. Just like that.
00:15:27.72\00:15:29.06
Yeah, just like that. He...
00:15:29.09\00:15:30.89
I stopped doing drugs
and stopped hanging around
00:15:30.93\00:15:33.56
with the wrong crowd.
00:15:33.60\00:15:34.93
And the Lord began to
change me gradually, day by day.
00:15:34.96\00:15:38.43
I'm curious to
think what was your mother
00:15:38.47\00:15:40.77
thinking through all this time,
00:15:40.80\00:15:42.70
she's obviously seeing a change?
00:15:42.74\00:15:44.54
Oh, she was
overjoyed. She was so happy.
00:15:44.57\00:15:46.61
She was coming
with me to the meetings.
00:15:46.64\00:15:48.74
And, you know, she tried not
to show how thrilled she was,
00:15:48.78\00:15:53.38
but I did felt, I
think that she was excited.
00:15:53.42\00:15:55.02
Yeah.
00:15:55.05\00:15:56.38
So I was baptized at
the end of those meetings,
00:15:56.42\00:15:58.15
I was 16 years old.
00:15:58.19\00:16:00.82
Before I gave my life
to Christ, I like to say,
00:16:00.86\00:16:02.89
you know, I was burning
with a strange fire of drugs,
00:16:02.92\00:16:05.89
but when I gave
my heart to Jesus,
00:16:05.93\00:16:07.86
He set me on fire
with the Holy Spirit.
00:16:07.90\00:16:10.77
He began to do
wonderful things in my life.
00:16:10.80\00:16:14.04
Were you able to be delivered
from the taking of drugs
00:16:14.07\00:16:19.27
straight away?
00:16:19.31\00:16:20.98
Or was that
something you had to do?
00:16:21.01\00:16:23.01
Yeah, for me, it
was instantaneous,
00:16:23.04\00:16:27.58
at least for me in that moment,
is because I recognize that
00:16:27.62\00:16:31.52
I couldn't stop doing
these things on my own.
00:16:31.55\00:16:34.62
I didn't have the strength.
00:16:34.66\00:16:36.19
I didn't have the power.
00:16:36.22\00:16:37.73
I had tried to do it
before, but I couldn't.
00:16:37.76\00:16:39.96
The temptation of
the enemy was stronger
00:16:40.00\00:16:42.46
than the power of the flesh.
00:16:42.50\00:16:44.90
And so I just said
to God, basically, Lord,
00:16:44.93\00:16:48.94
do for me what I
cannot do for myself,
00:16:48.97\00:16:52.04
prove yourself and release
me, deliver me from this.
00:16:52.07\00:16:56.75
And when I prayed that prayer
sincerely with all my heart,
00:16:56.78\00:17:00.35
and I was willing
to give it to God.
00:17:00.38\00:17:02.45
That's when He took it from me.
00:17:02.48\00:17:04.45
It didn't take a
week, not even a few days.
00:17:04.49\00:17:06.82
He took it from me.
00:17:06.86\00:17:08.19
Now that doesn't mean
that there wasn't temptation
00:17:08.22\00:17:09.86
afterwards,
00:17:09.89\00:17:11.23
there was temptation,
00:17:11.26\00:17:12.59
but the temptation
didn't have power anymore
00:17:12.63\00:17:15.36
because I found a new high.
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.13
There's so many people
who are struggling to give up,
00:17:17.17\00:17:21.34
whether it's drugs, alcohol,
smoking, even pornography,
00:17:21.37\00:17:26.04
and so many different things.
00:17:26.07\00:17:28.38
Sexual sins of
other kinds of morality,
00:17:28.41\00:17:31.48
and they want to follow God,
00:17:31.51\00:17:34.22
but they keep
getting pulled back again.
00:17:34.25\00:17:39.05
Do you have any advice for them?
00:17:39.09\00:17:41.32
Yeah, I mean, first of
all, there's power in Jesus.
00:17:41.36\00:17:47.10
The Bible says that we can
do all things through Christ
00:17:47.13\00:17:49.43
who strengthens us.
00:17:49.46\00:17:51.50
And so the power is available.
00:17:51.53\00:17:53.70
And the Lord just wants
to inspire us with the faith
00:17:53.74\00:17:56.57
that is willing to
receive that power.
00:17:56.60\00:17:59.34
And a beautiful verse
that really has helped me
00:17:59.37\00:18:02.44
and so many others
when it comes to addictions
00:18:02.48\00:18:04.88
and habits that we're trying
to get rid of is James 4:7-8.
00:18:04.91\00:18:09.78
And in that passage,
there are three simple steps.
00:18:09.82\00:18:12.45
The first one is, "Submit
yourselves therefore to God."
00:18:12.49\00:18:16.42
Number two, "Resist the devil,
and he will flee from you."
00:18:16.46\00:18:20.00
And number three,
"Draw near to God,
00:18:20.03\00:18:22.20
and He would draw near to you."
00:18:22.23\00:18:24.03
So the first one is submission,
00:18:24.07\00:18:25.50
a willingness to stop
trying to do it on our own,
00:18:25.53\00:18:29.47
stop trying to have control,
00:18:29.50\00:18:31.21
but really
submission is surrender,
00:18:31.24\00:18:33.58
is letting God have control,
00:18:33.61\00:18:35.51
letting Him take
the reins of our lives.
00:18:35.54\00:18:38.65
And then when the devil
comes to tempt and attack,
00:18:38.68\00:18:41.78
we resist him,
just like Jesus did,
00:18:41.82\00:18:44.39
with the power
of the Word of God.
00:18:44.42\00:18:45.85
And it is written,
thus saith the Lord.
00:18:45.89\00:18:48.19
We resist the
devil, and he will flee,
00:18:48.22\00:18:51.16
but then the
third step is so vital
00:18:51.19\00:18:52.93
because a lot of people do
the first and the second step,
00:18:52.96\00:18:55.46
they submit, they resist,
00:18:55.50\00:18:58.47
but they don't do the third one,
00:18:58.50\00:18:59.83
which is draw near to God.
00:18:59.87\00:19:01.37
So that God
would draw near to us.
00:19:01.40\00:19:03.20
In other words,
we have to replace
00:19:03.24\00:19:05.01
the darkness with light.
00:19:05.04\00:19:06.68
We have to replace the
evil with that which is good.
00:19:06.71\00:19:09.51
Christianity is not
about being emptied of evil,
00:19:09.54\00:19:12.81
but it's being
filled with He who is good.
00:19:12.85\00:19:15.28
And the Bible says,
00:19:15.32\00:19:16.65
we need to overcome
evil by being committed good.
00:19:16.69\00:19:21.29
That was just good.
00:19:21.32\00:19:22.66
I know that there
are different techniques
00:19:22.69\00:19:24.29
that people have used.
00:19:24.33\00:19:25.66
And I had to do one
at one stage in my life
00:19:25.69\00:19:28.70
when some really bad
things that happened to me.
00:19:28.73\00:19:31.90
And the devil kept
bringing thoughts to me
00:19:31.93\00:19:34.60
about those bad things.
00:19:34.64\00:19:36.84
And they were tormenting.
00:19:36.87\00:19:38.84
And I said, I don't want these
00:19:38.87\00:19:40.54
I don't want to
think about this.
00:19:40.58\00:19:42.18
It's too painful.
00:19:42.21\00:19:44.15
And so what I ended up,
00:19:44.18\00:19:46.98
you know, the
Holy Spirit inspired me
00:19:47.02\00:19:48.78
that every time
those thoughts came,
00:19:48.82\00:19:51.65
start saying Bible verses,
00:19:51.69\00:19:53.86
just remember Bible verses
and keep repeating them over.
00:19:53.89\00:19:58.29
And so I started doing that.
00:19:58.33\00:19:59.89
And it was only
in two or three days,
00:19:59.93\00:20:01.40
I never had
those thoughts again.
00:20:01.43\00:20:02.83
Powerful.
00:20:02.86\00:20:04.20
Because why would the devil
bring those thoughts to me,
00:20:04.23\00:20:06.57
if he knows I'm gonna do
00:20:06.60\00:20:07.97
to start thinking
of Bible scriptures,
00:20:08.00\00:20:10.17
you know, the Bible verses,
00:20:10.21\00:20:12.24
it's totally the
opposite to what he wants.
00:20:12.27\00:20:14.91
So he's not gonna tempt me
00:20:14.94\00:20:16.28
with something that's
gonna drive me closer to God.
00:20:16.31\00:20:18.71
And I know other
people who have thought.
00:20:18.75\00:20:21.18
And they've been
successful in thinking that
00:20:21.22\00:20:23.79
when these temptations come
00:20:23.82\00:20:26.05
to do these things that I
know I shouldn't be doing that,
00:20:26.09\00:20:29.09
that as a Christian,
as a believer in Christ,
00:20:29.12\00:20:31.13
I should have nothing to do with
00:20:31.16\00:20:33.09
that they would start praying
00:20:33.13\00:20:35.36
for a specific
individual to be saved.
00:20:35.40\00:20:38.50
So every time
that temptation came,
00:20:38.53\00:20:40.74
it was their indication to pray,
00:20:40.77\00:20:43.97
pray for this person.
00:20:44.01\00:20:45.57
And it was a very short time
that the temptation was broken
00:20:45.61\00:20:50.81
because now
they're doing something
00:20:50.85\00:20:52.25
that devil doesn't
want them to turn to.
00:20:52.28\00:20:54.32
He doesn't want
this other person saved.
00:20:54.35\00:20:56.28
Yeah.
00:20:56.32\00:20:57.65
And so he's not gonna
tempt them in that way anymore.
00:20:57.69\00:21:00.02
That's beautiful.
00:21:00.06\00:21:01.39
Because it turns them to
pray for someone's salvation.
00:21:01.42\00:21:05.19
So there are different
techniques you can use.
00:21:05.23\00:21:07.06
And God can
encourage you and inspire you
00:21:07.10\00:21:09.70
in what you can do to
overcome to draw nigh to God
00:21:09.73\00:21:13.03
at those times when
you resisting the devil.
00:21:13.07\00:21:15.77
So you're 16, you're
a born again Christian.
00:21:15.80\00:21:18.77
You're being baptized.
00:21:18.81\00:21:20.41
What happens?
00:21:20.44\00:21:23.38
The verse in Joel
Chapter 2 kind of describes it,
00:21:23.41\00:21:26.88
where God promises,
00:21:26.92\00:21:28.58
"I will restore to you the years
00:21:28.62\00:21:30.59
that the locusts have eaten."
00:21:30.62\00:21:33.02
And the cankerworm
and the palmerworm.
00:21:33.05\00:21:34.52
Yes.
00:21:34.56\00:21:35.89
And so, God is a
God of restoration.
00:21:35.92\00:21:38.89
He began to
restore all the years
00:21:38.93\00:21:41.56
that I had wasted on
myself and wasted in the world,
00:21:41.60\00:21:44.93
wasted influence, wasted time,
wasted energy, wasted mind.
00:21:44.97\00:21:49.30
That was my
life, but God started
00:21:49.34\00:21:50.87
to restore
different aspects of my life.
00:21:50.91\00:21:54.01
I went back to
the public high school
00:21:54.04\00:21:55.48
I was attending.
00:21:55.51\00:21:57.15
And God began to
restore the negative influence
00:21:57.18\00:22:00.18
or the wasted
influence I had exerted
00:22:00.22\00:22:02.55
on all my friends who
I used to do drugs with.
00:22:02.58\00:22:04.99
Now I was able to go
back and offer Bible studies,
00:22:05.02\00:22:07.16
and I would have Bible
studies, every lunch period,
00:22:07.19\00:22:10.56
in that public high school,
00:22:10.59\00:22:11.93
and I would
invite the whole school,
00:22:11.96\00:22:13.46
and people would come because
they saw the change in me.
00:22:13.50\00:22:17.07
And even though
00:22:17.10\00:22:18.43
I wasn't trained
to give Bible studies,
00:22:18.47\00:22:20.94
I didn't really know
how to give Bible studies,
00:22:20.97\00:22:22.64
I just shared that which I knew.
00:22:22.67\00:22:24.91
It wasn't much,
but I gave what I had.
00:22:24.94\00:22:27.84
And people came.
00:22:27.88\00:22:29.51
And as a result of
those Bible studies,
00:22:29.54\00:22:31.15
six of my friends
and their family members
00:22:31.18\00:22:32.85
were baptized as
a result as well.
00:22:32.88\00:22:34.62
And so, God was confirming
a call He placed in my life.
00:22:34.65\00:22:39.39
And I started passing out
Steps to Christ all over campus.
00:22:39.42\00:22:43.36
And I just, I
didn't care anymore about
00:22:43.39\00:22:45.43
what people thought
about me, it didn't matter.
00:22:45.46\00:22:48.16
All that matters
what Jesus thought of me.
00:22:48.20\00:22:50.20
And, you know,
sometimes we're very...
00:22:50.23\00:22:51.57
That's a very
important point, Taj.
00:22:51.60\00:22:53.07
That's an
extremely important point.
00:22:53.10\00:22:55.40
If we have that
relationship with Jesus,
00:22:55.44\00:22:57.34
we're not gonna be embarrassed,
we're not gonna be afraid.
00:22:57.37\00:23:00.11
And it's an encouraging
thing to go and study
00:23:00.14\00:23:02.84
the Word of God,
find out about Jesus
00:23:02.88\00:23:05.11
because He will
empower you to do those things,
00:23:05.15\00:23:07.65
which you would
never have done before.
00:23:07.68\00:23:10.25
Yeah, I mean,
00:23:10.29\00:23:11.62
I felt like I was the
least likely candidate
00:23:11.65\00:23:13.42
to do any of those things.
00:23:13.46\00:23:15.82
You know, I'm real shy.
00:23:15.86\00:23:17.19
I'm an introvert naturally,
00:23:17.23\00:23:19.39
grew up as the only child
00:23:19.43\00:23:20.76
so kind of socially awkward
and my English very limited,
00:23:20.80\00:23:24.60
in Hawaii, we speak
real broken English.
00:23:24.63\00:23:27.34
And so
communication is not something
00:23:27.37\00:23:29.84
that's natural for me,
00:23:29.87\00:23:31.57
but it's
definitely supernatural.
00:23:31.61\00:23:32.94
It's a gift from God.
00:23:32.97\00:23:35.68
But the Lord started giving
me opportunities to share.
00:23:35.71\00:23:38.28
I preached my first
sermon when I was 16.
00:23:38.31\00:23:41.02
And just
started being a witness.
00:23:41.05\00:23:43.79
And looking back when I sat
00:23:43.82\00:23:46.52
through those evangelistic
series, that prophecy seminar
00:23:46.55\00:23:50.63
and hearing the man of
God speak from God's Word.
00:23:50.66\00:23:53.76
The impact was so
profound on my life,
00:23:53.80\00:23:57.27
that as I sat there,
even before I made a decision
00:23:57.30\00:23:59.97
to get baptized, it was
as if God was saying to me,
00:24:00.00\00:24:03.07
Taj, one day
you're gonna be standing
00:24:03.10\00:24:04.87
where that man in standing,
00:24:04.91\00:24:06.37
one day you're gonna
be doing what he's doing.
00:24:06.41\00:24:08.64
And I felt Him calling me
00:24:08.68\00:24:10.45
not only into
relationship with Him,
00:24:10.48\00:24:12.91
but I felt God
calling me to be an evangelist
00:24:12.95\00:24:16.18
to do the work of ministry.
00:24:16.22\00:24:17.95
And you mentioned before
that your parents remarried.
00:24:17.99\00:24:21.06
When was that in
relation to this?
00:24:21.09\00:24:23.22
That was around
the same time period.
00:24:23.26\00:24:24.59
That's what I was
thinking 'cause you said
00:24:24.63\00:24:25.96
when you were 19,
you had a brother born,
00:24:25.99\00:24:27.63
but three years prior to
that your parents had remarried.
00:24:27.66\00:24:29.66
So I was thinking.
00:24:29.70\00:24:31.03
Well, they got
married for the first time.
00:24:31.07\00:24:32.40
Yeah, they never married, yeah.
00:24:32.43\00:24:33.77
Well, had been
married for the first time.
00:24:33.80\00:24:35.14
Yeah. Yeah.
00:24:35.17\00:24:36.50
But it seemed to be a must
have been around that time.
00:24:36.54\00:24:37.87
Yeah.
00:24:37.91\00:24:39.24
Around the same time,
again, that verse, God says,
00:24:39.27\00:24:41.81
I'll restore to you the years
that the locusts have eaten
00:24:41.84\00:24:45.11
was not only applied in
the wasted influence I had,
00:24:45.15\00:24:48.12
but even the relationships,
my parents and my loved ones,
00:24:48.15\00:24:52.55
you know, I
caused them so much pain,
00:24:52.59\00:24:54.92
but now I was able to,
you know, make them proud,
00:24:54.96\00:24:59.79
you know, in a way that I...
00:24:59.83\00:25:01.40
The Bible says, I was
once blind, but now I see.
00:25:01.43\00:25:03.47
Amen.
00:25:03.50\00:25:04.83
And that's a really
encouraging thought.
00:25:04.87\00:25:07.04
So how did you go, you
started going into evangelism?
00:25:07.07\00:25:10.44
I had one more
thing I wanted to ask.
00:25:10.47\00:25:12.51
Your father, your
mother had become a Christian,
00:25:12.54\00:25:14.78
what about your dad?
00:25:14.81\00:25:16.21
My dad was
still praying for him.
00:25:16.24\00:25:17.91
Oh, good. Yeah, so...
00:25:17.95\00:25:20.22
So people can
join you in prayer?
00:25:20.25\00:25:22.42
Yes, yes. I appreciate that.
00:25:22.45\00:25:24.05
We're still praying for dad.
00:25:24.09\00:25:26.25
You know, if I had
spiritual conversations
00:25:26.29\00:25:27.82
with him here and there,
00:25:27.86\00:25:30.19
but yeah, we're still praying
that God will help him too.
00:25:30.23\00:25:34.20
That he will get it.
00:25:34.23\00:25:35.60
Yes.
00:25:35.63\00:25:37.03
You know, sometimes,
when we're witnessing,
00:25:37.07\00:25:40.40
you know, we speak, but
sometimes we talk too much.
00:25:40.44\00:25:43.00
And so sometimes
00:25:43.04\00:25:44.41
when we're trying to
reach our loved ones,
00:25:44.44\00:25:46.64
and our family
members, or friends, or anybody,
00:25:46.68\00:25:49.68
yes, God wants to use our voice,
00:25:49.71\00:25:51.25
but sometimes we
have to shut our mouth
00:25:51.28\00:25:52.91
and let our lives
do the talking too.
00:25:52.95\00:25:54.55
I think that's
so important, Taj.
00:25:54.58\00:25:55.92
Yeah.
00:25:55.95\00:25:57.29
You know, everybody needs love,
doesn't matter who you are,
00:25:57.32\00:26:00.32
love gives you identity.
00:26:00.36\00:26:02.59
And if you don't have
love, it's like a void.
00:26:02.62\00:26:06.33
And as children
love the appearance,
00:26:06.36\00:26:08.46
they acknowledge
00:26:08.50\00:26:10.37
that they have a
concern or an interest in them.
00:26:10.40\00:26:12.70
If we don't do that,
00:26:12.73\00:26:14.64
it's just like
you're in a family,
00:26:14.67\00:26:16.91
but no one is really
related in any specific way,
00:26:16.94\00:26:21.38
but that's
important that we love
00:26:21.41\00:26:23.65
show that love in our lives,
00:26:23.68\00:26:25.08
wouldn't have to say too
much, just love them, you know.
00:26:25.11\00:26:27.55
Amen.
00:26:27.58\00:26:28.92
And it can be
too that it's hardest
00:26:28.95\00:26:30.89
to reach people
in your own family.
00:26:30.92\00:26:33.09
Yes, difficult.
00:26:33.12\00:26:34.46
Sometimes we need to pray
00:26:34.49\00:26:35.82
that God would send other people
00:26:35.86\00:26:37.83
in the lives of our loved ones
00:26:37.86\00:26:39.19
to exert that
influence over them.
00:26:39.23\00:26:41.83
And God can do it.
00:26:41.86\00:26:43.20
And sometimes it's because
00:26:43.23\00:26:44.57
you were so earnest in
wanting to see them saved,
00:26:44.60\00:26:47.87
that you actually
don't really work with God.
00:26:47.90\00:26:52.01
Yeah. Sometimes
we make mistakes.
00:26:52.04\00:26:53.38
You're doing it
in your own strength
00:26:53.41\00:26:54.74
trying to reach them.
00:26:54.78\00:26:56.11
Yeah.
00:26:56.14\00:26:57.48
My question was
going, did you go and study
00:26:57.51\00:26:58.95
in further do further
studies, you finished school?
00:26:58.98\00:27:01.98
What did you do?
00:27:02.02\00:27:03.35
I've graduated from high school.
00:27:03.39\00:27:04.72
And I was, you
know, praying, seeking God
00:27:04.75\00:27:07.89
as to what He
wanted me to do next.
00:27:07.92\00:27:10.53
And the verse that kept coming
into my mind was Acts 1:8,
00:27:10.56\00:27:15.63
where the Lord spoke
to the disciples before
00:27:15.66\00:27:17.60
He ascended to
heaven, and He said,
00:27:17.63\00:27:19.00
"Go to Jerusalem,
then Judea, then Samaria,
00:27:19.03\00:27:23.27
then to the
outermost parts of the earth."
00:27:23.30\00:27:25.77
And the principle I
got from there is that
00:27:25.81\00:27:27.74
if you want to
be a world changer,
00:27:27.78\00:27:29.41
you need to
start closest to home.
00:27:29.44\00:27:31.51
You need to do the
duty that lies near us.
00:27:31.55\00:27:34.78
Be faithful in
the little things.
00:27:34.82\00:27:36.75
And like Jesus
have a faithful regard
00:27:36.79\00:27:38.65
for the one soul audience,
00:27:38.69\00:27:40.79
the person that got places
in your path from day-to-day.
00:27:40.82\00:27:44.36
And so because of
that, I made the decision,
00:27:44.39\00:27:46.49
I felt the Lord
leading me to just stay home
00:27:46.53\00:27:49.66
and be a
missionary in my own hometown.
00:27:49.70\00:27:52.23
Before I go off to school,
or do ministry somewhere else,
00:27:52.27\00:27:56.04
I wanted to have an opportunity
to reach my community.
00:27:56.07\00:27:59.47
And so I stayed home for a year,
00:27:59.51\00:28:01.84
as a missionary, a Bible worker.
00:28:01.88\00:28:06.31
My goal is to knock on
every door in my community
00:28:06.35\00:28:08.58
in that time period,
00:28:08.62\00:28:10.29
and offer Bible studies
to every person I could.
00:28:10.32\00:28:13.15
So that's what I
did for the whole year,
00:28:13.19\00:28:14.52
I supported
myself by canvassing,
00:28:14.56\00:28:16.32
selling Christian
books as I went door to door.
00:28:16.36\00:28:19.83
And it was a wonderful
growing experience in my life.
00:28:19.86\00:28:24.33
That's when I was able
to see several of my friends
00:28:24.37\00:28:26.40
and their family
members baptized,
00:28:26.43\00:28:28.70
and no one trained me I
just, the Lord was my trainer.
00:28:28.74\00:28:33.27
He was my teacher.
00:28:33.31\00:28:34.64
He's the best teacher. Yes.
00:28:34.68\00:28:36.85
And life experiences
are another teacher too,
00:28:36.88\00:28:40.05
but to have that experience,
00:28:40.08\00:28:41.45
you know, when you said
you went back to your school,
00:28:41.48\00:28:43.02
and you shared that
with your school friends
00:28:43.05\00:28:45.72
that is a very interesting thing
00:28:45.75\00:28:48.96
because most
times, we tend to hide,
00:28:48.99\00:28:52.19
we tend not to say,
well, we're different,
00:28:52.23\00:28:54.96
but, you know,
God's saying be bold,
00:28:55.00\00:28:57.13
be bold for Me, you know.
00:28:57.17\00:28:58.93
Amen.
00:28:58.97\00:29:00.30
And go forward.
00:29:00.34\00:29:01.67
Yes. That was great.
00:29:01.70\00:29:03.04
So then, you were doing I
just think that's wonderful,
00:29:03.07\00:29:06.94
that you first started
with your friends at school,
00:29:06.98\00:29:10.11
then you went to your town
before you did anything else?
00:29:10.15\00:29:14.35
And that is really, really good.
00:29:14.38\00:29:15.92
It's a wonderful idea.
00:29:15.95\00:29:17.29
Yeah, I mean, I had influence.
00:29:17.32\00:29:18.99
So when I use it,
00:29:19.02\00:29:20.36
the people
closest to me, you know.
00:29:20.39\00:29:22.06
And you also know
people don't you in your town?
00:29:22.09\00:29:24.09
Yeah. Yeah.
00:29:24.13\00:29:25.46
And selling the
books is a good way.
00:29:25.49\00:29:26.83
You need something
that will open the door.
00:29:26.86\00:29:28.53
Yeah.
00:29:28.56\00:29:29.90
I think of what a
contrast, they knew you before.
00:29:29.93\00:29:33.13
And they now see
you, what a contrast,
00:29:33.17\00:29:35.70
you know, they'd have to say,
what's going on here, you know?
00:29:35.74\00:29:38.14
Yes.
00:29:38.17\00:29:39.51
And I wanted to capitalize
00:29:39.54\00:29:40.88
on the freshness
of that experience,
00:29:40.91\00:29:42.81
the dramatic contrast
between before and after.
00:29:42.84\00:29:46.65
I wanted to let the Lord use
that to really make an impact
00:29:46.68\00:29:50.52
on those around me right away.
00:29:50.55\00:29:53.46
And so, that's something I
want to encourage our listeners,
00:29:53.49\00:29:57.16
and that is you don't have
to feel like you have to go
00:29:57.19\00:29:59.16
some faraway
place to be missionary,
00:29:59.19\00:30:01.36
although God does
call us in faraway places,
00:30:01.40\00:30:04.87
but you can be a
missionary wherever you go.
00:30:04.90\00:30:07.07
And there's people all
around us every single day,
00:30:07.10\00:30:10.87
they need to see the
things that we have seen,
00:30:10.91\00:30:13.64
need to hear the words
of life that we have heard.
00:30:13.68\00:30:16.75
And God wants to use us to be
able to share that with others.
00:30:16.78\00:30:19.58
And to do it as soon as you
can is the most important thing
00:30:19.61\00:30:23.32
because then it
becomes your way of life.
00:30:23.35\00:30:25.72
If you leave it off and say,
00:30:25.75\00:30:27.39
"Well, I'll do it at
a more convenient time."
00:30:27.42\00:30:30.49
That convenient
time often never comes.
00:30:30.53\00:30:32.33
That's true.
00:30:32.36\00:30:33.70
And you miss a
wonderful opportunity
00:30:33.73\00:30:36.50
that you will not get
again, in the same way.
00:30:36.53\00:30:38.40
Amen.
00:30:38.43\00:30:39.77
I mean, it was definitely
out of my comfort zone,
00:30:39.80\00:30:41.34
knocking on
doors, talking to people,
00:30:41.37\00:30:43.57
I was very shy,
but somebody said,
00:30:43.61\00:30:47.08
you know, there is no
growth in the comfort zone.
00:30:47.11\00:30:50.01
You know, and so if you
just stay in the comfort zone,
00:30:50.05\00:30:52.31
you're not gonna grow, you got
to get out of the comfort zone.
00:30:52.35\00:30:56.12
And that's where you
get into the growth zone
00:30:56.15\00:30:58.05
that God can
stretch you and mold you.
00:30:58.09\00:31:00.46
And to be honest, I believe that
00:31:00.49\00:31:02.76
it was because I got
involved in ministry right away
00:31:02.79\00:31:06.83
without a, you
know, official title
00:31:06.86\00:31:08.40
or position or
anything like that.
00:31:08.43\00:31:09.76
Just getting
involved, just doing
00:31:09.80\00:31:11.20
what I can as a
witness as a servant of Jesus,
00:31:11.23\00:31:13.84
that God kept me focus,
and kept me close to Him.
00:31:13.87\00:31:17.37
You know what
happens you become dependent
00:31:17.41\00:31:19.11
on Him full-time.
00:31:19.14\00:31:20.48
Amen.
00:31:20.51\00:31:21.84
And not just on the
outskirts, but full-time.
00:31:21.88\00:31:24.48
And that's the power of God.
00:31:24.51\00:31:26.15
He wants to empower you
and to help you to achieve
00:31:26.18\00:31:29.72
what He wants you to achieve.
00:31:29.75\00:31:31.09
What Jesus taught
us, go and do the same.
00:31:31.12\00:31:33.99
And that's a good story.
00:31:34.02\00:31:35.36
So, you're now a year away
00:31:35.39\00:31:38.49
from when you're first baptized.
00:31:38.53\00:31:39.86
What happens next?
00:31:39.89\00:31:41.50
I went to two
year Bible College,
00:31:41.53\00:31:44.17
Bible School,
training school in Arizona.
00:31:44.20\00:31:46.23
Okay.
00:31:46.27\00:31:47.60
And it was a Leadership School,
Christian Leadership School.
00:31:47.64\00:31:50.81
And there it was my
wilderness experience
00:31:50.84\00:31:54.94
from the white
sandy beaches of Hawaii
00:31:54.98\00:31:57.55
to the dry hot
arid desert of Arizona.
00:31:57.58\00:32:00.62
The hot.
00:32:00.65\00:32:01.98
So that was my
wilderness experience.
00:32:02.02\00:32:03.39
Arizona's all beach
but no ocean in sight.
00:32:03.42\00:32:06.55
Yes. That's true.
00:32:06.59\00:32:08.22
That's true.
00:32:08.26\00:32:09.59
Plenty of cactus.
00:32:09.62\00:32:10.96
Yeah. We had a great experience.
00:32:10.99\00:32:12.33
Yeah, the only thing
green was the cactus.
00:32:12.36\00:32:14.00
Very, very
different from Hawaii,
00:32:14.03\00:32:16.00
but yeah, the Lord
blessed after graduating
00:32:16.03\00:32:18.80
from that Bible College.
00:32:18.83\00:32:21.30
I was hired by the
Central California Conference
00:32:21.34\00:32:24.54
to do evangelism,
00:32:24.57\00:32:25.91
and to lead out in
the Bible work program
00:32:25.94\00:32:29.81
that was there.
00:32:29.84\00:32:31.18
And so
immediately we started working
00:32:31.21\00:32:33.45
and I stayed there
for the next 11 years.
00:32:33.48\00:32:38.29
Towards the
beginning of that I married
00:32:38.32\00:32:39.65
my high school sweetheart.
00:32:39.69\00:32:41.82
And we're a team in ministry.
00:32:41.86\00:32:44.79
This photo.
00:32:44.83\00:32:46.16
Yep. That's...
00:32:46.19\00:32:48.20
On Hawaii. Yeah.
00:32:48.23\00:32:49.56
How do you said? Hawaii.
00:32:49.60\00:32:50.93
Hawaii. 'Cause we say Hawaii.
00:32:50.97\00:32:52.67
And every time
I hear you say it,
00:32:52.70\00:32:54.57
Taj, it sounds a
lot nicer, you know.
00:32:54.60\00:32:56.71
Yeah, Hawaii.
00:32:56.74\00:32:58.07
Hawaii. Yeah.
00:32:58.11\00:32:59.44
So I actually met
her part of the story
00:32:59.47\00:33:01.84
was the last part
of the high school.
00:33:01.88\00:33:06.41
I actually transferred
to the Christian Academy
00:33:06.45\00:33:08.42
in Hawaii,
Hawaii Mission Academy.
00:33:08.45\00:33:10.52
Okay. And that's
where I met Wati.
00:33:10.55\00:33:14.72
And so we...
00:33:14.76\00:33:17.49
She also went to the same Bible
College, and then after that,
00:33:17.53\00:33:20.56
we got married.
00:33:20.60\00:33:21.93
Very good.
00:33:21.96\00:33:23.30
I like it when I
heard you speak one time
00:33:23.33\00:33:25.30
about the sweet Maui onion.
00:33:25.33\00:33:28.07
Maui onion. Maui onion.
00:33:28.10\00:33:29.94
That's right. Maui onion.
00:33:29.97\00:33:31.31
Yeah.
00:33:31.34\00:33:32.67
So she lives on the island
of Maui or she grew up on Maui.
00:33:32.71\00:33:36.85
And in Maui, they
have the best onions.
00:33:36.88\00:33:39.61
The onions there are so sweet.
00:33:39.65\00:33:41.18
You can eat it like an apple.
00:33:41.22\00:33:42.55
Is that right? Yeah.
00:33:42.58\00:33:43.92
They're very different.
00:33:43.95\00:33:45.29
And so I call it
my sweet Maui onion.
00:33:45.32\00:33:47.12
And I like that.
00:33:47.16\00:33:49.29
We'd like to be called an onion.
00:33:49.32\00:33:51.76
Everyone wholly understands.
00:33:51.79\00:33:53.13
Yeah.
00:33:53.16\00:33:54.50
They all love them.
00:33:54.53\00:33:55.93
Yeah, yes. Good stuff.
00:33:55.96\00:33:57.30
Something very special. Yeah.
00:33:57.33\00:33:59.07
So you embarked
on evangelism, right?
00:33:59.10\00:34:03.44
So you are not
funded by anyone else.
00:34:03.47\00:34:06.41
Just you're doing it
yourself when God provides?
00:34:06.44\00:34:09.38
We were there in
working for the conference.
00:34:09.41\00:34:12.91
Central California Conference
00:34:12.95\00:34:14.28
for we're there at
least 10, 11 years.
00:34:14.32\00:34:16.62
What a great time there.
00:34:16.65\00:34:18.12
The
administration was supportive.
00:34:18.15\00:34:22.39
We had a territory
of about 150 churches.
00:34:22.42\00:34:25.89
And so we'd go from
church to church conducting
00:34:25.93\00:34:28.76
Bible prophecy seminars.
00:34:28.80\00:34:30.77
We did over 50 of them
during that time period.
00:34:30.80\00:34:34.10
That's a lot.
00:34:34.14\00:34:35.47
But then within
about four years ago,
00:34:35.50\00:34:37.31
three or four years ago,
00:34:37.34\00:34:38.67
my wife and I just
00:34:38.71\00:34:40.04
had a growing
conviction in our hearts,
00:34:40.08\00:34:42.41
that it was time for us
to spread out even further.
00:34:42.44\00:34:46.55
We'd gone to
Jerusalem or Judea and Samaria,
00:34:46.58\00:34:49.28
and we felt a tug of conviction
00:34:49.32\00:34:51.75
to go to the
uttermost parts of the earth.
00:34:51.79\00:34:53.92
We started getting
invitations to do meetings
00:34:53.96\00:34:57.49
and outside of the
conference in other countries.
00:34:57.53\00:35:01.13
And so after much prayer,
much counsel, seeking the Lord,
00:35:01.16\00:35:06.23
we resigned from that position
as the conference evangelists,
00:35:06.27\00:35:10.57
to step out on faith
00:35:10.61\00:35:11.94
to start our own
supporting ministry.
00:35:11.97\00:35:14.18
We move back home to Hawaii.
00:35:14.21\00:35:15.88
And so Hawaii is our home base,
00:35:15.91\00:35:18.11
but we're only there maybe
three months out of the year,
00:35:18.15\00:35:20.02
the rest of the
time we're traveling,
00:35:20.05\00:35:22.48
doing evangelism,
revival and training,
00:35:22.52\00:35:24.85
discipleship,
mostly in other countries.
00:35:24.89\00:35:27.49
And so, we just were asking God
that He would be able to use us
00:35:27.52\00:35:33.60
to make the biggest
impact we could make.
00:35:33.63\00:35:35.60
And so that's the
way that He led us
00:35:35.63\00:35:37.90
and it's been wonderful since
we resigned four years ago,
00:35:37.93\00:35:40.84
the Lord has
taken us to 40 countries
00:35:40.87\00:35:43.47
and it's been
00:35:43.51\00:35:46.14
a tremendous adventure of faith.
00:35:46.17\00:35:50.71
So how does Wati
feel about all this?
00:35:50.75\00:35:52.41
How does she... Well.
00:35:52.45\00:35:53.78
Because behind
every successful man is a,
00:35:53.82\00:35:56.38
what sort of a woman, Rosemary?
00:35:56.42\00:35:58.22
Oh, I can't remember
00:35:58.25\00:35:59.82
all the different
things they put there.
00:35:59.85\00:36:01.26
Certainly a praying woman.
00:36:01.29\00:36:02.62
Yeah.
00:36:02.66\00:36:03.99
You can't win
with a praying woman,
00:36:04.03\00:36:05.36
you know that.
00:36:05.39\00:36:06.90
Yeah, I mean, my
wife is definitely
00:36:06.93\00:36:09.20
the backbone of the
ministry, I'm the face,
00:36:09.23\00:36:12.13
but she's the one that does
everything behind the scenes.
00:36:12.17\00:36:15.10
And we are able
to travel together,
00:36:15.14\00:36:17.11
which is a blessing.
00:36:17.14\00:36:18.64
She's a registered nurse.
00:36:18.67\00:36:20.18
And she was working as a nurse
00:36:20.21\00:36:21.78
when we were local
00:36:21.81\00:36:23.14
in the conference in California,
00:36:23.18\00:36:25.51
but because we stepped out
00:36:25.55\00:36:26.88
and our ministry is
more international now,
00:36:26.92\00:36:28.95
she also resigned
from her nursing position
00:36:28.98\00:36:32.02
to join in the
full-time ministry
00:36:32.05\00:36:35.92
to be able to run this
ministry and so that we can,
00:36:35.96\00:36:39.33
we think is really important
that we can travel together
00:36:39.36\00:36:42.56
to protect our marriage,
00:36:42.60\00:36:43.93
and to protect our ministry.
00:36:43.97\00:36:45.40
The Bible says it's not
good for man to be alone.
00:36:45.43\00:36:47.64
Do you know how true
that is? That's so true.
00:36:47.67\00:36:49.30
And it's really good for you
sort of like a pastor, right?
00:36:49.34\00:36:54.01
I'm more of a
lay evangelist. Yes.
00:36:54.04\00:36:56.08
But like a pastor,
00:36:56.11\00:36:59.01
you're going around
preaching the gospel,
00:36:59.05\00:37:01.08
you're sharing the good news,
00:37:01.12\00:37:02.65
you're bringing
people to Christ.
00:37:02.68\00:37:04.59
And for a man
doing that sort of job,
00:37:04.62\00:37:08.29
to have his wife by his
side is really important
00:37:08.32\00:37:12.43
because then
there's a number of reasons
00:37:12.46\00:37:15.20
and a couple of them one,
00:37:15.23\00:37:16.56
it helps you and
your wife to stay bonded.
00:37:16.60\00:37:20.14
It helps keep
both of you faithful
00:37:20.17\00:37:24.11
because you're together,
00:37:24.14\00:37:26.68
but it also helps her to
have part of that ministry,
00:37:26.71\00:37:31.88
to have the heart of
that ministry in herself.
00:37:31.91\00:37:33.58
Absolutely.
00:37:33.62\00:37:34.95
It's not something
that's separate to her.
00:37:34.98\00:37:37.69
The husband's doing his
thing, I'm doing my thing.
00:37:37.72\00:37:40.59
And you don't have that
same, oh, guess what happened.
00:37:40.62\00:37:44.46
But when you're
working together,
00:37:44.49\00:37:46.33
you share the
experience the whole time.
00:37:46.36\00:37:47.70
Yeah.
00:37:47.73\00:37:49.06
The other important
thing, you become an example.
00:37:49.10\00:37:52.27
You know, there's a lot
of separation in the world,
00:37:52.30\00:37:55.07
there are a lot of people
going their own separate ways,
00:37:55.10\00:37:57.74
but a couple
together working together
00:37:57.77\00:38:00.61
is a witness for God's
glory because He had intended
00:38:00.64\00:38:05.31
that man and a
woman should be together.
00:38:05.35\00:38:07.72
And I think it's very important.
00:38:07.75\00:38:10.35
It is. It is.
00:38:10.39\00:38:11.99
So you've got your series
on 3ABN Revelation of Hope.
00:38:12.02\00:38:16.89
When did you film that?
00:38:16.93\00:38:19.63
We filmed that back in 2013
00:38:19.66\00:38:22.26
in my wife's
home Island in Maui.
00:38:22.30\00:38:24.90
And we had a great time there
during that those meetings.
00:38:24.93\00:38:29.30
My mother-in-law, my wife's mom,
00:38:29.34\00:38:31.51
she actually attended
00:38:31.54\00:38:32.87
and she got baptized
during those meetings.
00:38:32.91\00:38:34.54
That's exciting.
Yeah, that's wonderful.
00:38:34.58\00:38:35.91
Yeah, it's beautiful experience,
00:38:35.94\00:38:37.45
but we're
grateful the Lord gives us
00:38:37.48\00:38:39.68
the opportunity to
actually record that,
00:38:39.71\00:38:41.52
it's actually 3ABN only actually
00:38:41.55\00:38:44.02
is sharing 20 of the messages,
00:38:44.05\00:38:46.45
but it's actually a
35-part series that we...
00:38:46.49\00:38:49.72
Put a lot of work into it.
00:38:49.76\00:38:51.09
Yeah, definitely.
00:38:51.13\00:38:53.70
But we've been
receiving messages
00:38:53.73\00:38:56.20
from people all over the world,
00:38:56.23\00:38:57.57
you know, they
send us testimonies
00:38:57.60\00:38:59.43
of how they really
enjoyed the messages.
00:38:59.47\00:39:02.74
And so we're just so grateful,
00:39:02.77\00:39:04.37
you know, like the
verse we started today.
00:39:04.41\00:39:07.48
It's by the grace
of God, I am what I am,
00:39:07.51\00:39:10.31
you know, I like to tell
people that I'm just a beggar
00:39:10.35\00:39:13.88
trying to share some bread,
00:39:13.92\00:39:15.45
you know, there's
nothing special with me.
00:39:15.48\00:39:18.52
It's all about Jesus,
and what He's done for me,
00:39:18.55\00:39:21.79
He wants to do for everyone,
00:39:21.82\00:39:23.96
and even more
so and changing us,
00:39:23.99\00:39:26.63
and then using
us to change others.
00:39:26.66\00:39:29.03
How old is your brother now?
00:39:29.06\00:39:31.27
He's 17 years old.
Yeah, he's about to graduate.
00:39:31.30\00:39:33.44
He's in his last
year of high school.
00:39:33.47\00:39:36.14
So how's he going?
00:39:36.17\00:39:37.51
How's he trekking in life?
00:39:37.54\00:39:38.87
Oh, he's a lot better than
I was for sure as a teenager,
00:39:38.91\00:39:41.91
you know, having both parents
and my mom brings him to church
00:39:41.94\00:39:45.81
and so he's learned
about Jesus and whatnot.
00:39:45.85\00:39:48.68
And so he's
definitely a lot better kid
00:39:48.72\00:39:51.65
than I was and
I'm grateful for that.
00:39:51.69\00:39:53.82
I'm just gonna
backtrack a little bit
00:39:53.86\00:39:55.19
when you're working with
the Californian Conference,
00:39:55.22\00:39:57.86
right?
00:39:57.89\00:39:59.23
You're receiving a
wage. Your wife is working.
00:39:59.26\00:40:01.96
She's getting a wage.
00:40:02.00\00:40:03.33
And I know that, you
know, that's a reasonable amount
00:40:03.37\00:40:05.90
you can live very comfortably.
00:40:05.93\00:40:08.00
Would that be
right? Oh, yeah, for sure.
00:40:08.04\00:40:09.97
Yeah, you make that decision.
00:40:10.01\00:40:12.81
And the some other,
00:40:12.84\00:40:14.98
another thought must
take part in your mind.
00:40:15.01\00:40:17.81
And that's the one of faith.
00:40:17.85\00:40:20.05
You make the
decision to go out a lot...
00:40:20.08\00:40:21.42
To go out...
00:40:21.45\00:40:22.78
Yeah, to go out on your
own is not an easy thing.
00:40:22.82\00:40:25.72
And we've had
that experience too,
00:40:25.75\00:40:28.29
but there is a
joy and an experience
00:40:28.32\00:40:30.76
that you will never ever have,
00:40:30.79\00:40:32.83
until you come to give
your whole dependence on God
00:40:32.86\00:40:36.33
to provide for you.
00:40:36.36\00:40:37.70
And watch, sit back
and watch the miracles.
00:40:37.73\00:40:41.37
It is just story after story
how God helps you to survive.
00:40:41.40\00:40:46.41
Absolutely.
00:40:46.44\00:40:47.78
I mean, making that
decision of resigning from,
00:40:47.81\00:40:51.05
you know, the financial security
00:40:51.08\00:40:53.31
of that position was something
that caused us to hesitate
00:40:53.35\00:40:56.89
and really wonder,
00:40:56.92\00:40:58.95
you know, how's this
gonna work out, but...
00:40:58.99\00:41:00.46
We really had
to think seriously.
00:41:00.49\00:41:02.02
Yeah, and we prayed, we got
counsel from a lot of people.
00:41:02.06\00:41:04.63
So it wasn't a
hasty decision for sure.
00:41:04.66\00:41:06.56
We spoke with
people, we counseled,
00:41:06.59\00:41:09.53
we sat down and
counted the costs,
00:41:09.56\00:41:11.33
but we didn't know
how it was gonna work out.
00:41:11.37\00:41:14.17
We didn't know how the
Lord was gonna provide,
00:41:14.20\00:41:16.74
but we knew that He would.
00:41:16.77\00:41:18.31
And so the Lord gave
us the faith to step out.
00:41:18.34\00:41:22.08
And I like to say that,
00:41:22.11\00:41:23.68
if it's God's
will, it's His bill,
00:41:23.71\00:41:25.05
He'll take care of you.
00:41:25.08\00:41:26.41
I like that. I like that.
00:41:26.45\00:41:27.78
I agree with that too.
00:41:27.82\00:41:29.15
We were convicted
that this was God's will,
00:41:29.18\00:41:30.52
you know, staying there in that
position would have been good,
00:41:30.55\00:41:33.69
you know, we're
having a lot of success.
00:41:33.72\00:41:35.29
People appreciated us,
00:41:35.32\00:41:36.99
the conference
wanted us to stay,
00:41:37.03\00:41:39.63
it would have been
good for us to stay,
00:41:39.66\00:41:41.10
but good is the
enemy of the best.
00:41:41.13\00:41:44.30
And we don't really have time
to be doing just good things.
00:41:44.33\00:41:48.04
We only have time to be
doing the very best things.
00:41:48.07\00:41:51.11
And for us, that
which was best would
00:41:51.14\00:41:53.61
that which would
impact us more and impact
00:41:53.64\00:41:57.05
the world more was
forced to make that decision.
00:41:57.08\00:41:59.85
And sometimes it's hard to
distinguish between the two,
00:41:59.88\00:42:02.82
but when we seek the Lord,
00:42:02.85\00:42:04.95
He promises to make
the path clear for us
00:42:04.99\00:42:08.42
as we move forward by faith.
00:42:08.46\00:42:10.16
And so we did that.
00:42:10.19\00:42:11.89
And the Lord is
taking care of us.
00:42:11.93\00:42:14.00
He's grown our faith
00:42:14.03\00:42:15.36
in the process, for sure, but...
00:42:15.40\00:42:16.73
The blessing is on the go.
00:42:16.77\00:42:18.10
And I keep telling,
you know, working at 3ABN,
00:42:18.13\00:42:21.60
it's so important that
00:42:21.64\00:42:23.74
if you know
that God is with you,
00:42:23.77\00:42:26.11
He can't do
anything really very much
00:42:26.14\00:42:28.34
until you take a step in faith.
00:42:28.38\00:42:30.11
So the blessing is on
the go, you take the step,
00:42:30.15\00:42:33.48
and then watch what God does.
00:42:33.52\00:42:35.35
And so it's an
exciting experience
00:42:35.38\00:42:37.15
to be involved in God's work.
00:42:37.19\00:42:38.95
You know, there's been times
when we didn't have any money,
00:42:38.99\00:42:42.66
and just happen to the
time God would provide it.
00:42:42.69\00:42:45.96
It's time after time again,
00:42:45.99\00:42:48.26
you know, we're very fortunate,
00:42:48.30\00:42:50.33
you know, we became involved
with 3ABN at a later age,
00:42:50.37\00:42:54.70
we've been
missionaries ourselves.
00:42:54.74\00:42:57.04
And we always,
always thought, you know,
00:42:57.07\00:43:00.28
everyone's buying
homes and having cars.
00:43:00.31\00:43:03.21
And here we got nothing.
00:43:03.24\00:43:04.78
Well, I want to tell you,
God doesn't let that continue.
00:43:04.81\00:43:07.98
He actually turns that around.
00:43:08.02\00:43:09.35
So you have a home, you
have a car and you have no debt
00:43:09.38\00:43:12.55
in such a short time.
00:43:12.59\00:43:14.32
That's a miracle of God.
00:43:14.36\00:43:15.69
That's what
giving your life to Him
00:43:15.72\00:43:17.63
and allowing Him to use you.
00:43:17.66\00:43:18.99
That's what He
does for you. Amen.
00:43:19.03\00:43:20.86
And not everyone
will experience that,
00:43:20.90\00:43:22.73
but that's usually the
case that we hear from people
00:43:22.76\00:43:25.63
how God is blessed.
00:43:25.67\00:43:27.00
Yeah, I mean,
00:43:27.04\00:43:28.37
it also reminds me
of when the Israelites
00:43:28.40\00:43:30.31
were standing on the
bank of the River Jordan.
00:43:30.34\00:43:33.88
The Promised
Land was just ahead.
00:43:33.91\00:43:36.44
And the water was
raging. Yes, and flood.
00:43:36.48\00:43:38.78
And they were waiting
for something to happen,
00:43:38.81\00:43:41.85
like what God
did for the Red Sea
00:43:41.88\00:43:43.69
and parting the waters,
00:43:43.72\00:43:45.15
but God did not part
the waters right away.
00:43:45.19\00:43:48.29
So they didn't know what
to do, but they knew that
00:43:48.32\00:43:50.43
it was God's will
for them to move forward.
00:43:50.46\00:43:52.89
And so once they
took a step in the water,
00:43:52.93\00:43:55.63
that's when God
parted the river.
00:43:55.66\00:43:57.73
That's when He
made the way plain.
00:43:57.77\00:43:59.70
Sometimes we're standing
there waiting for God to do it.
00:43:59.73\00:44:02.77
And nothing happens because
we're not really waiting on God
00:44:02.80\00:44:05.81
as God is waiting on us
to take that step of faith.
00:44:05.84\00:44:09.88
And so if we know
it's God's will for us
00:44:09.91\00:44:11.35
to move forward, go
ahead and move forward.
00:44:11.38\00:44:13.85
And the Lord will make,
00:44:13.88\00:44:15.68
He'll part the
River Jordan for us.
00:44:15.72\00:44:17.22
And sometimes we
have to test the water
00:44:17.25\00:44:19.75
to see whether or not
God's going to part it.
00:44:19.79\00:44:23.02
We may not know
whether to go forward or not.
00:44:23.06\00:44:25.99
And sometimes
we have to actually
00:44:26.03\00:44:28.56
go forward and
see whether or not
00:44:28.60\00:44:29.93
that's the way He's leading.
00:44:29.96\00:44:31.30
Yeah.
00:44:31.33\00:44:32.67
And if the waters don't part
in a way doesn't become clear,
00:44:32.70\00:44:36.50
then we need to say, okay, Lord,
00:44:36.54\00:44:38.27
that's obviously not
the way you wanted us to go.
00:44:38.31\00:44:41.04
Direct us another way.
00:44:41.08\00:44:43.28
But if God wants
you to go that way,
00:44:43.31\00:44:45.61
yeah, you've got to take
the step first before God will,
00:44:45.65\00:44:49.88
you know, say good now
that you're believing me,
00:44:49.92\00:44:53.36
I will do something
00:44:53.39\00:44:54.72
because the line
between faith and presumption
00:44:54.76\00:44:57.09
can be very close.
00:44:57.13\00:44:58.46
It's true.
00:44:58.49\00:44:59.83
And you can say right,
I'm gonna go out and do this.
00:44:59.86\00:45:02.30
And God's gonna bless me...
00:45:02.33\00:45:05.10
but maybe you're
being presumptuous,
00:45:05.13\00:45:07.87
the only way to try to find out
is actually to test the water.
00:45:07.90\00:45:11.41
Absolutely.
00:45:11.44\00:45:12.77
And then if it doesn't work,
00:45:12.81\00:45:14.14
well, then you know that
that wasn't the way of faith.
00:45:14.18\00:45:16.91
Yeah. That was my way.
00:45:16.95\00:45:18.61
It's true.
00:45:18.65\00:45:19.98
Can you think of a story, Taj,
00:45:20.02\00:45:21.35
that sort of sits
right in your mind
00:45:21.38\00:45:23.42
with someone who didn't believe
and you shared with them,
00:45:23.45\00:45:25.92
and they accepted the truth?
00:45:25.95\00:45:28.86
My own family members would,
00:45:28.89\00:45:31.19
are the first ones
that come to my mind,
00:45:31.23\00:45:34.00
you know, I had been a Christian
00:45:34.03\00:45:35.63
for about eight years.
00:45:35.66\00:45:37.63
And I started doing my first
evangelistic prophecy seminars,
00:45:37.67\00:45:41.90
and none of my family
ever came to church with me,
00:45:41.94\00:45:45.97
after all those
years of inviting them,
00:45:46.01\00:45:48.68
but when I was in,
00:45:48.71\00:45:51.55
when I first started
doing these meetings,
00:45:51.58\00:45:54.55
I've been a
Christian for eight years,
00:45:54.58\00:45:56.18
my grandpa came,
00:45:56.22\00:45:57.85
and I thought he
would only come once,
00:45:57.89\00:46:00.96
you know, he wasn't
really interested in the Bible.
00:46:00.99\00:46:03.09
He just wanted to
hear his grandson stand up
00:46:03.12\00:46:04.89
and talk in front of people.
00:46:04.93\00:46:06.26
And so he came...
00:46:06.29\00:46:07.63
That's a good
enough reason. Yeah.
00:46:07.66\00:46:09.06
And so he came
and started coming
00:46:09.10\00:46:11.80
every single
night to the seminar.
00:46:11.83\00:46:13.44
And we came to the
topic where we talked about
00:46:13.47\00:46:16.30
the God that can
restore broken lives,
00:46:16.34\00:46:18.84
the God of new beginnings.
00:46:18.87\00:46:20.58
And I made a call for
people to come to the front
00:46:20.61\00:46:23.71
for baptism.
00:46:23.75\00:46:25.08
And my grandpa responded.
00:46:25.11\00:46:26.65
And at the end
of those meetings,
00:46:26.68\00:46:28.02
he was baptized.
00:46:28.05\00:46:29.38
And that was one of
the great joys of my life,
00:46:29.42\00:46:31.59
you know...
00:46:31.62\00:46:32.95
It was worth
it, wasn't it? Yeah.
00:46:32.99\00:46:34.52
Seeing him in the
waters of baptism weeping,
00:46:34.56\00:46:37.06
he told me,
"Grandson, I sinned so much.
00:46:37.09\00:46:39.96
I need you to baptize me."
00:46:40.00\00:46:41.70
And I had that
honor and privilege.
00:46:41.73\00:46:43.10
I like to say that he
held me when I was born,
00:46:43.13\00:46:45.93
but I held him
when he was born again.
00:46:45.97\00:46:47.97
Yes. It was beautiful.
00:46:48.00\00:46:49.37
You're full of these
really good little sayings.
00:46:49.40\00:46:52.44
It only helps you to remember.
00:46:52.47\00:46:55.61
I remember
talking about older men.
00:46:55.64\00:46:58.21
I remember when we
were at 3ABN one year,
00:46:58.25\00:47:01.02
and John actually took
a Saturday night vespers
00:47:01.05\00:47:05.15
on how to do Bible
studies and get results.
00:47:05.19\00:47:09.79
And he asked if anybody
would like to commit themselves,
00:47:09.82\00:47:14.53
to finding
someone to study with,
00:47:14.56\00:47:17.67
and to bring
them into the church.
00:47:17.70\00:47:19.73
And within the next 12
months, when we came back,
00:47:19.77\00:47:22.30
we would find out
what had happened.
00:47:22.34\00:47:24.41
And three or four
people, wasn't it?
00:47:24.44\00:47:27.41
Said that they would do that.
00:47:27.44\00:47:29.18
One of them was a
man, he was in his 80s.
00:47:29.21\00:47:32.31
He said, "I have been
in the church all my life
00:47:32.35\00:47:34.42
and I've never
brought one person to God."
00:47:34.45\00:47:36.55
Wow.
00:47:36.58\00:47:37.92
He said, "I want
to do this." Amen.
00:47:37.95\00:47:39.95
He felt empowered.
00:47:39.99\00:47:42.36
He said, "I now
know what to do."
00:47:42.39\00:47:44.46
Beautiful.
00:47:44.49\00:47:45.83
After all those years,
00:47:45.86\00:47:47.20
the following year
when we went back...
00:47:47.23\00:47:48.66
Couldn't wait to see us.
00:47:48.70\00:47:50.03
He told John,
00:47:50.07\00:47:51.40
"Not only did I
have studied with someone
00:47:51.43\00:47:53.34
who has now been baptized,
00:47:53.37\00:47:54.70
I'm now standing
with two more people."
00:47:54.74\00:47:56.30
Oh, praise the
Lord. That's beautiful.
00:47:56.34\00:47:57.97
And so it was really good.
00:47:58.01\00:47:59.51
He did die a couple
of years after that,
00:47:59.54\00:48:02.24
but before he did die,
00:48:02.28\00:48:03.81
he was actually
bringing people into Christ.
00:48:03.85\00:48:07.28
Yeah, you know, I
believe as Christians,
00:48:07.32\00:48:09.78
our calling in life
is not just to know God,
00:48:09.82\00:48:13.72
but to make Him known.
00:48:13.76\00:48:15.42
And we can only make
Him known if we know Him,
00:48:15.46\00:48:18.53
but those two things
are not two separate things.
00:48:18.56\00:48:21.46
They're really
the same experience.
00:48:21.50\00:48:23.53
When we truly know Him,
00:48:23.57\00:48:24.90
we want to make Him
known and that doesn't mean
00:48:24.93\00:48:27.64
we're gonna reach everybody,
00:48:27.67\00:48:29.14
but not
everyone's gonna respond,
00:48:29.17\00:48:31.67
but at least give an
opportunity for people
00:48:31.71\00:48:34.71
to know the God that we know.
00:48:34.74\00:48:36.08
See, one of the
things you said was that
00:48:36.11\00:48:38.45
when you started doing
the Bible studies at school,
00:48:38.48\00:48:42.12
you would invite people
00:48:42.15\00:48:43.59
to come at lunchtime
and do Bible studies,
00:48:43.62\00:48:46.09
you didn't really
know what you were doing,
00:48:46.12\00:48:47.66
but you did it anyway.
00:48:47.69\00:48:49.69
And one of the big problems
for people in the church
00:48:49.72\00:48:54.53
is that they don't
know where to start.
00:48:54.56\00:48:57.47
They don't know how to do it.
00:48:57.50\00:48:59.67
And so they don't do anything.
00:48:59.70\00:49:01.74
Yeah.
00:49:01.77\00:49:03.10
But you started
with just saying,
00:49:03.14\00:49:07.44
"Yes, Lord, I'm
available, basically."
00:49:07.48\00:49:09.84
Because God was the
one who empowered you then.
00:49:09.88\00:49:12.18
Amen.
00:49:12.21\00:49:13.55
He gave you the
success to be able to do it
00:49:13.58\00:49:15.28
and gave you the understanding
to be able to go through
00:49:15.32\00:49:19.49
and do better and better at it.
00:49:19.52\00:49:21.52
Yeah, that's one of the reasons
00:49:21.56\00:49:23.12
why my greatest
passion is to encourage
00:49:23.16\00:49:25.99
and inspire people
because if God can use me,
00:49:26.03\00:49:29.00
He can use anybody.
00:49:29.03\00:49:30.37
You see, God is not
looking for a capability.
00:49:30.40\00:49:32.33
He's looking for availability.
00:49:32.37\00:49:34.30
And when we make
ourselves available to God,
00:49:34.34\00:49:36.60
He makes Himself
able in us and through us.
00:49:36.64\00:49:39.57
And you don't have to be,
00:49:39.61\00:49:41.44
you know, very
far ahead of someone
00:49:41.48\00:49:43.21
in order to lead a person.
00:49:43.24\00:49:44.81
You just got to be
00:49:44.85\00:49:46.18
just a half
step ahead of someone
00:49:46.21\00:49:47.92
to lead someone spiritually.
00:49:47.95\00:49:49.95
And in fact, if you were
way far ahead, you know...
00:49:49.98\00:49:52.72
You may lose it.
You lose the person.
00:49:52.75\00:49:55.06
And so you don't have to
wait till you know everything.
00:49:55.09\00:49:57.23
Just share what you got.
00:49:57.26\00:49:58.59
That's what I was
waiting for. Share what you got.
00:49:58.63\00:50:00.16
Yeah, and if it's
this match share that much.
00:50:00.20\00:50:01.53
Amen.
00:50:01.56\00:50:02.90
Because God then puts
that much to you to share.
00:50:02.93\00:50:04.67
And God promises
in Proverbs 11:25,
00:50:04.70\00:50:07.04
"He that waters shall
be watered also himself."
00:50:07.07\00:50:10.24
You may have a
little bit of water,
00:50:10.27\00:50:11.97
give what you have, and
God will give us some more.
00:50:12.01\00:50:14.84
And so, a bit like
the story of the widow.
00:50:14.88\00:50:21.68
And Moses, sorry,
Elijah when he went there,
00:50:21.72\00:50:25.09
and he said, during the drought,
00:50:25.12\00:50:27.56
terrible drought,
00:50:27.59\00:50:29.49
give me something to
eat a piece of bread,
00:50:29.52\00:50:32.09
but I've just got
00:50:32.13\00:50:33.46
a little bit of oil left
and a little bit of flour,
00:50:33.50\00:50:35.16
and I'm gonna
make the last thing,
00:50:35.20\00:50:36.77
a little cake for me and my son,
00:50:36.80\00:50:38.57
then we're gonna
die, and got no more food,
00:50:38.60\00:50:40.94
or just make
something for me first.
00:50:40.97\00:50:42.60
So she did.
00:50:42.64\00:50:44.41
And throughout the
rest of that drought,
00:50:44.44\00:50:47.94
she kept having flour
and oil, to make the bread,
00:50:47.98\00:50:52.15
make the cake, for
herself, her son, and Elijah.
00:50:52.18\00:50:56.55
And just God
kept filling it. Amen.
00:50:56.58\00:50:59.05
And so as you go forward,
00:50:59.09\00:51:00.92
God keeps filling it in
giving you more and more.
00:51:00.96\00:51:03.36
That's right.
00:51:03.39\00:51:04.73
It's the same sort of story.
00:51:04.76\00:51:06.09
We just have to
make ourselves available,
00:51:06.13\00:51:07.90
like you said, and
then God equips us,
00:51:07.93\00:51:10.60
that's the power
of the Holy Spirit
00:51:10.63\00:51:12.30
working in the person's lives
00:51:12.33\00:51:14.20
'cause He knows who
you're communicating to.
00:51:14.24\00:51:17.21
It may be only a
little thing that you say,
00:51:17.24\00:51:19.11
but that in turn
creates that response to God,
00:51:19.14\00:51:23.45
which was maybe
never there before.
00:51:23.48\00:51:25.78
And I kind of think of
00:51:25.81\00:51:27.82
the overall
picture in the Bible,
00:51:27.85\00:51:30.02
you know, God,
when He, the Bible says
00:51:30.05\00:51:31.62
when He made Adam and
Eve, it was His intention
00:51:31.65\00:51:34.16
that they would
live with Him forever
00:51:34.19\00:51:36.73
throughout eternity.
00:51:36.76\00:51:38.09
And, you know what?
00:51:38.13\00:51:39.46
The good news is, He
still wants that for you and me,
00:51:39.49\00:51:41.83
He still wants us to live
throughout eternity with Him,
00:51:41.86\00:51:45.10
but it's Jesus that
makes that possible.
00:51:45.13\00:51:47.67
And as we share our experience
of knowing Jesus here now,
00:51:47.70\00:51:51.27
God is then able to
reveal Himself in His character,
00:51:51.31\00:51:55.34
which changes you and
me to be more like Him.
00:51:55.38\00:51:58.31
So it's a powerful message
that the plan of salvation
00:51:58.35\00:52:02.22
is such a wonderful story,
00:52:02.25\00:52:04.52
that we need to share
it with everyone, Taj.
00:52:04.55\00:52:06.29
Amen.
00:52:06.32\00:52:07.66
As fast as possible,
00:52:07.69\00:52:09.02
efficiently as
possible by God's grace alone.
00:52:09.06\00:52:12.69
I'm just gonna take
the break right now.
00:52:12.73\00:52:15.46
If you are wanting to
get in contact with Taj
00:52:15.50\00:52:19.73
and his ministry at all,
00:52:19.77\00:52:21.70
we do have his details
00:52:21.74\00:52:24.17
that we're going
to give to you now.
00:52:24.21\00:52:26.11
So if you've got
a pen and a paper,
00:52:26.14\00:52:27.98
I want you to
write these details down.
00:52:28.01\00:52:30.21
If you want more
information about
00:52:34.95\00:52:36.62
Revelation of Hope Ministries,
00:52:36.65\00:52:38.32
donate to them or even
have Taj speak in your church.
00:52:38.35\00:52:41.79
You may contact them
in the following ways.
00:52:41.82\00:52:44.26
Write to PO Box 969,
00:52:44.29\00:52:46.86
Loma Linda,
California 92354, USA.
00:52:46.90\00:52:51.37
That's PO Box 969,
00:52:51.40\00:52:53.84
Loma Linda,
California 92354, USA.
00:52:53.87\00:52:58.27
Email them on
00:52:58.31\00:52:59.64
info@revelation
ofhopeministries.com
00:52:59.67\00:53:02.94
That's info@revelation
ofhopeministries.com
00:53:02.98\00:53:08.12
or visit their website,
00:53:08.15\00:53:09.68
www.revelationofhopeministries.
com
00:53:09.72\00:53:13.72
Contact them today.
00:53:13.76\00:53:16.86
I hope you took
the details down.
00:53:16.89\00:53:18.66
Revelation of Hope Ministries
00:53:18.69\00:53:20.16
is a real catching
term for a ministry,
00:53:20.20\00:53:24.43
you know, that
ministry doesn't survive
00:53:24.47\00:53:26.63
by someone paying them
to work in that ministry.
00:53:26.67\00:53:30.41
They rely on the
support of people just like you.
00:53:30.44\00:53:33.98
And this ministry is growing,
00:53:34.01\00:53:35.64
it's reaching young
people all over the world.
00:53:35.68\00:53:39.18
And it's something
you may want to consider
00:53:39.21\00:53:41.55
in helping Taj and his wife
00:53:41.58\00:53:43.12
to continue this
ministry of just sharing Jesus
00:53:43.15\00:53:46.86
in a very practical way, Taj.
00:53:46.89\00:53:48.39
And also if people want
to anywhere in the world,
00:53:48.42\00:53:51.76
want to call them and
ask if they can come to...
00:53:51.79\00:53:54.60
Do some programs.
Do programs with them.
00:53:54.63\00:53:55.96
Yeah.
00:53:56.00\00:53:57.33
You do them in
universities, in churches?
00:53:57.37\00:53:59.10
Absolutely, full-time.
00:53:59.13\00:54:01.60
We just do these,
mainly prophecy seminars,
00:54:01.64\00:54:04.44
but revival
meetings, evangelism training,
00:54:04.47\00:54:08.24
spiritual retreats,
00:54:08.28\00:54:09.68
we're just thankful
to be available to serve.
00:54:09.71\00:54:12.98
And we've made
ourselves available for that...
00:54:13.01\00:54:15.12
You're open to
wherever the Lord leads you,
00:54:15.15\00:54:17.22
but you have to make that effort
00:54:17.25\00:54:18.85
like he has to
make the step in faith.
00:54:18.89\00:54:21.56
And I'm sure that
they will be a blessing.
00:54:21.59\00:54:23.53
I think that doing
the spiritual retreats,
00:54:23.56\00:54:28.16
but also the training.
00:54:28.20\00:54:30.03
I mean, what a great opportunity
00:54:30.07\00:54:31.40
for some
churches to get together
00:54:31.43\00:54:33.57
and have you come
00:54:33.60\00:54:34.94
and bring their
church members together for,
00:54:34.97\00:54:37.74
you know, a few nights
or in a couple of weeks
00:54:37.77\00:54:40.54
or something and have
you and what He trained them
00:54:40.58\00:54:43.75
on how to spread the gospel?
00:54:43.78\00:54:45.11
What we recognize
is that the work of God
00:54:45.15\00:54:46.61
is not going to get
completed by addition,
00:54:46.65\00:54:48.95
but only by multiplication,
not by adding members,
00:54:48.98\00:54:51.49
but multiplying messengers.
00:54:51.52\00:54:52.85
I like that.
00:54:52.89\00:54:54.22
And it's only when all
of God's people shouted
00:54:54.26\00:54:56.32
that the walls of
Jericho come crumbling down.
00:54:56.36\00:54:58.86
It wasn't just a few
voices at the top shouting,
00:54:58.89\00:55:01.46
in the same way, the
only way the walls of Babylon
00:55:01.50\00:55:04.03
spiritual confusion will fall
is when all of God's people,
00:55:04.07\00:55:07.20
all of His church
00:55:07.24\00:55:08.57
use their voice to
give that loud cry message.
00:55:08.60\00:55:11.57
And that's where we're going
to see this work finishing,
00:55:11.61\00:55:13.88
so that Jesus can come
and we can all go home.
00:55:13.91\00:55:16.18
It's our burden is
really not just to proclaim,
00:55:16.21\00:55:18.81
but to train and
to multiply workers.
00:55:18.85\00:55:20.62
Which is absolutely fantastic
'cause you have started off
00:55:20.65\00:55:24.15
there as we've
heard in high school,
00:55:24.19\00:55:26.45
and you've gone on
and learned and learned,
00:55:26.49\00:55:28.52
but now you can
help other people learn
00:55:28.56\00:55:31.23
how to do the things as well.
00:55:31.26\00:55:33.66
And if there's a little
church, say, even five people,
00:55:33.70\00:55:39.43
and each one of them
was able to bring one person
00:55:39.47\00:55:42.70
into the church in the year.
00:55:42.74\00:55:44.07
Double the church.
00:55:44.11\00:55:45.44
They've doubled
it, and then if each
00:55:45.47\00:55:46.81
one of those 10
brought one person in,
00:55:46.84\00:55:49.81
in a year,
they'd have 20 people...
00:55:49.84\00:55:52.11
And it is possible. Etcetera.
00:55:52.15\00:55:54.58
That's how God works.
00:55:54.62\00:55:55.95
Like you said, a multiplication.
00:55:55.98\00:55:57.49
Amen. And it's possible.
00:55:57.52\00:55:59.29
You know, Taj, your story
00:55:59.32\00:56:00.82
is not really
familiar with what,
00:56:00.86\00:56:03.53
you know, the
programs we've done before.
00:56:03.56\00:56:06.43
You've started out as
a practical experience,
00:56:06.46\00:56:10.07
you've learned from practice,
00:56:10.10\00:56:12.83
and, you know,
there's a lot of people say,
00:56:12.87\00:56:14.37
oh, you got to
get a theology degree,
00:56:14.40\00:56:16.00
and you got to go out
there and you got to do this,
00:56:16.04\00:56:18.31
but the reality
is, if you surrender
00:56:18.34\00:56:19.67
your heart to
Jesus, and you follow Him,
00:56:19.71\00:56:22.88
that's the
credentials that you want
00:56:22.91\00:56:25.31
to empower you
to do more for Him,
00:56:25.35\00:56:27.02
then maybe others
would be able to do.
00:56:27.05\00:56:29.75
Yeah, because you did
that training in Arizona
00:56:29.78\00:56:32.15
for two years, and then
the California Conference
00:56:32.19\00:56:34.89
hired you to go
and do evangelism.
00:56:34.92\00:56:38.03
Yeah, I believe our
greatest qualification
00:56:38.06\00:56:41.30
is our experience with Jesus.
00:56:41.33\00:56:42.76
That's what the disciples had.
00:56:42.80\00:56:44.37
They were
unlearned and ignorant men,
00:56:44.40\00:56:46.43
but people marveled.
00:56:46.47\00:56:47.80
They were amazed.
00:56:47.84\00:56:49.17
They were moved,
they were impacted
00:56:49.20\00:56:50.77
because they
had been with Jesus,
00:56:50.81\00:56:52.57
and I just want
to be with Jesus.
00:56:52.61\00:56:54.54
I can be able to share
Him with others as well.
00:56:54.58\00:56:57.41
Just in a nutshell.
00:56:57.45\00:56:58.78
Your friends and
family and neighbors
00:56:58.81\00:57:01.32
at your town would have seen.
00:57:01.35\00:57:02.85
Just in a nutshell,
if there's a young person
00:57:02.88\00:57:04.55
out there thinking
about doing something,
00:57:04.59\00:57:06.05
what would you say to them, Taj?
00:57:06.09\00:57:07.62
I would
encourage that young person
00:57:07.66\00:57:09.12
to recognize that
God has placed a calling,
00:57:09.16\00:57:11.89
a divine calling for your life.
00:57:11.93\00:57:14.10
There's a divine
intention behind your existence,
00:57:14.13\00:57:16.33
and God has given you life not
for you to waste it on yourself
00:57:16.36\00:57:20.24
or the foolish
things of this world,
00:57:20.27\00:57:22.14
but to use it for the
glory and honor of His name
00:57:22.17\00:57:24.97
to make an impact for eternity.
00:57:25.01\00:57:26.88
So it doesn't
matter who you are,
00:57:26.91\00:57:28.24
what your life is like,
00:57:28.28\00:57:29.61
the broken situation
you find yourself in today.
00:57:29.64\00:57:32.38
God wants to change
you, and then through you.
00:57:32.41\00:57:34.95
He wants to change the
whole world for eternity.
00:57:34.98\00:57:37.39
As I encourage you,
give your life to Jesus.
00:57:37.42\00:57:40.22
And as Taj has
told us those words,
00:57:40.26\00:57:42.62
hold them in your
heart, do the will of God,
00:57:42.66\00:57:44.99
and we'll see you next time.
00:57:45.03\00:57:46.39