¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:02.13
>> Holy Father, we invite You
into this place. God, this is
00:00:08.74\00:00:15.84
who we are. We're here to give
You praises for saving us this
week, for bringing us here to
00:00:15.84\00:00:22.45
worship Your worthy name. I ask
that you bless us, take care of
us, and keep us as Your
00:00:22.45\00:00:27.46
children. In Jesus' name, I
pray. Amen. And I just want to
00:00:27.46\00:00:32.16
continue by welcoming you to
church on behalf of Pastor
Dwight Nelson and the staff.
00:00:32.16\00:00:36.63
Welcome, and enjoy your worship
with us. [ Intro to "O Worship
00:00:36.63\00:00:43.34
the King" plays ]
00:00:43.34\00:00:44.77
[ Congregation sings ]
00:01:07.03\00:01:08.96
[ Music stops ] [ Intro to
"Our God" plays ] >> You may be
00:03:15.89\00:03:20.73
seated. [ Music slows ]
[ "Our God Reigns plays ]
00:05:58.15\00:06:03.73
>> Join for "our God
reigns." [ Congregation sings ]
00:07:11.79\00:07:15.06
[ Music fades ]
00:07:45.56\00:07:47.83
[ "Enough" plays ]
00:08:01.14\00:08:02.91
>> Amen.
00:09:43.48\00:09:46.05
>> ¤ More than
enough ¤ More than enough
00:11:04.66\00:11:17.87
[ Music stops ]
00:11:17.87\00:11:19.14
>> Good morning, boys and girls.
Nice to see you on this
beautiful -- At last, it's
00:11:22.18\00:11:26.08
hot -- summer Sabbath. Glad
you're here. Thank you, Deacon
00:11:26.08\00:11:32.75
Milan. I'm gonna but a picture
on the screen for you. I want
you to tell me what it is
00:11:32.75\00:11:35.86
when you see it on the
screen. What is that? >> A frog!
00:11:35.86\00:11:41.80
>> That's not just any old frog.
That is a green tree frog from
00:11:41.80\00:11:49.94
Australia. This happened
just a few days ago. Yep.
00:11:49.94\00:11:53.21
Min Tims, she was riding her
lawnmower in Australia --
Because it's winter down there,
00:11:53.21\00:12:01.55
but they're still mowing the
lawns because it's a hot place.
So she's riding her lawnmower,
00:12:01.55\00:12:05.49
just mowing the lawn, back and
forth, when all of a sudden she
realizes what has just happened
00:12:05.49\00:12:11.06
before she could even see,
before she could stop, before
00:12:11.06\00:12:15.66
she could react. She said, "Oh,
I don't know what I'm gonna do!"
She turned the lawnmower off.
00:12:15.66\00:12:19.67
She looked underneath. "Oh,
no. This is what I have done!"
00:12:19.67\00:12:25.57
She picked up the little
tree-green tree frog. She picked
it up, she ran into
00:12:25.57\00:12:33.45
the house, she punched the
number of her niece. She said,
00:12:33.45\00:12:37.25
"You're not gonna believe this.
I just ran over it. He's still
alive, but I just ran
00:12:37.25\00:12:39.89
over a green tree frog. He's
cut bad. Do you know what we can
00:12:39.89\00:12:45.13
do?" She said her niece said,
"Auntie, stay right there. Stay
right there, Auntie.
00:12:45.13\00:12:48.56
I'll be right over." She came
over. "Oh, we've got to wash
00:12:48.56\00:12:51.67
this. We've got to wash this.
Oh, he's gonna die if we don't
00:12:51.67\00:12:54.57
do something." "Well, lets put
some Band-aids or something on
it. Oh, yai yai yai."
00:12:54.57\00:12:58.77
"Wait a minute! Do you know what
I heard? I heard that in Cairns"
00:12:58.77\00:13:02.61
-- that'd be 800 miles away --
"I heard that in Cairns, there
is a frog hospital."
00:13:02.61\00:13:08.75
Go figure. There is a Frog
Safe. It's called Frog Safe.
00:13:08.75\00:13:12.39
It's a hospital for frogs.
She said, "I heard that!" "No,"
00:13:12.39\00:13:16.76
Auntie said. "You can't be
serious." "Yes, I'm telling you
00:13:16.76\00:13:19.29
the truth." "All right." [
Imitates dialing a phone ]
"Hello, are you the frog
00:13:19.29\00:13:22.23
hospital?" "Yes, we
are." "We got a frog."
00:13:22.23\00:13:24.37
"Bring it in." "Bring it
in? We're 800 miles away."
00:13:24.37\00:13:28.57
And that began a series of phone
calls... [ Imitates dialing a
00:13:28.57\00:13:31.77
phone ] ...calling airlines.
Finally found an airline that
went from Mount Isa, were they
00:13:31.77\00:13:35.74
were living, up to Cairns. And
the airline said, "We'll fly
that frog for free."
00:13:35.74\00:13:39.88
Well, that's not bad for an
airline to fly a frog for free.
00:13:39.88\00:13:42.65
[ Laughter ] I kind of like that
thought. And they got three
other business, "We'll pay for
00:13:42.65\00:13:47.59
the frog's hospitalization. Does
a frog have insurance?" "None."
00:13:47.59\00:13:50.63
"Okay, we'll cover it." And,
guys, that's exactly what
happened just this week.
00:13:50.63\00:13:56.63
They got the little green froggy
ready to be released to the
00:13:56.63\00:14:01.40
jungle. And I want to see a
picture of the now-ready -- Oh,
00:14:01.40\00:14:05.71
there he is. If you look
carefully, you can see a white
scar where that ugly wound had
00:14:05.71\00:14:12.48
been. The froggy is gonna
be all right. You know what?
00:14:12.48\00:14:17.62
Jesus said somewhere "Are not
two frogs sold for a penny?" [
00:14:17.62\00:14:23.06
Laughter ] And if the Father
takes care of two frogs, how
much more does He take care of
00:14:23.06\00:14:28.20
you? >> More. >> Oh. If God
takes care of little froggies,
00:14:28.20\00:14:33.03
and they spent all that money to
save a frog, don't you think God
is gonna spend a whole lot to
00:14:33.03\00:14:39.44
save boys and girls like you and
me and the whole world? Oh. God
says, "And I need you to
00:14:39.44\00:14:45.68
help Me. You love them
for Me. You reach them for Me.
00:14:45.68\00:14:49.28
I give blessings to you,
you give to them." What a God --
00:14:49.28\00:14:54.79
saves frogs and children. Who
would like to thank this Jesus
and say, "Oh, Jesus" --
00:14:54.79\00:15:00.30
Tony, I'm gonna grab you today.
"Oh, Jesus, I thank You for
being a God who not only cares
00:15:00.30\00:15:06.87
for frogs, You really care for
children." Let's close our eyes
00:15:06.87\00:15:13.84
and fold our hands with Tony as
he prays. >> Dear Jesus, thank
00:15:13.84\00:15:20.45
You for this day. Thank You that
You can help all the little
children of the world.
00:15:20.45\00:15:24.72
Amen." >> Amen. Thank
you, Tony. Beautiful prayer.
00:15:24.72\00:15:27.82
And, boys and girls, as you go
quietly and reverently back to
your seats, you say that in your
00:15:27.82\00:15:31.89
heart -- "Thank you, Jesus. Oh,
what a wonderful God You are."
00:15:31.89\00:15:36.97
[ Piano plays ] [ Violin plays ]
00:15:41.34\00:15:47.88
[ Music slows ]
00:18:15.96\00:18:18.53
[ Music stops ]
>> Amen. [ Applause ]
00:18:31.87\00:18:36.51
>> Thank you, Carlos and Analiz
Lozano, for that beautiful,
00:18:43.25\00:18:49.06
beautiful piece. All right,
let's pray. Father, thank You
for Your call to the human race.
00:18:49.06\00:18:55.56
You're our creator, through
Christ, our saviour. And You
call us all for the
00:18:55.56\00:19:02.90
humble little gifts we have. We
exercise these for you. So, we
have another story today.
00:19:02.90\00:19:09.64
Let the story do what You need
the story to do, and may Jesus
be front and center.
00:19:09.64\00:19:13.85
We pray in His name,
amen. In Lancaster County,
00:19:13.85\00:19:18.92
Pennsylvania, they tell the
story about a Pennsylvania Dutch
00:19:18.92\00:19:26.43
minister who didn't
have his own parish.
00:19:26.43\00:19:28.66
He went around
and filled pulpits.
00:19:28.66\00:19:30.67
They called it "pulpit supply."
So he would go around when there
00:19:30.67\00:19:33.50
was a vacancy and just fill in
until the next full-time pastor
00:19:33.50\00:19:35.80
arrived. One Sunday
morning, he took his
00:19:35.80\00:19:37.54
little boy with him. They jumped
on the trolly. They rode out of
00:19:37.54\00:19:41.64
town to a church that needed the
supply pastor to be present. As
he stepped into the
00:19:41.64\00:19:46.18
vestibule, we call it the
narthex here, he saw a box, very
00:19:46.18\00:19:50.92
noticeable. It had two words on
it -- "poor box." Now, the man
00:19:50.92\00:19:56.52
had none of this world's
accoutrements and gifts, but he
reached into his pocket, pulled
00:19:56.52\00:20:02.46
out a thin quarter, and he
dropped it in the poor box,
whereupon he stepped into the
00:20:02.46\00:20:06.10
sanctuary. The deacons ushered
him up front. He led in the
00:20:06.10\00:20:08.47
service. When the service was
over, the deacon came and led
him out into the vestibule.
00:20:08.47\00:20:14.11
And the deacon said, "It is our
custom in this church that, when
we have supply preacher with us,
00:20:14.11\00:20:18.88
we give him the contents of
the poor box." And so the deacon
00:20:18.88\00:20:23.82
reached over and unlocked the
box and tilted it over, and
nothing came out except one,
00:20:23.82\00:20:31.36
lonely quarter. He handed it to
the minister. The minister, with
a wry smile, put it in his
00:20:31.36\00:20:36.00
pocket, and he and his boy
walked down to the trolly
station. And as they were
00:20:36.00\00:20:39.67
walking, the lad looked up into
this father's face and he asked,
"Daddy, you would have gotten
00:20:39.67\00:20:47.58
more out of it if you had put
more into it, wouldn't you have?
00:20:47.58\00:20:52.95
[ Laughter ] That's a great
question -- Wouldn't you? I
mean, come on. You would have
00:20:52.95\00:20:57.72
gotten more out of it if you had
put more into it. The story of
this widow today --
00:20:57.72\00:21:01.92
widow number two, by the way, in
this little miniseries of three
-- is living proof of
00:21:01.92\00:21:07.40
that. So let's go.
Open your bible to 2 Kings.
00:21:07.40\00:21:10.43
We were in 1 Kings last week.
Now we're in 2 Kings today. 2
00:21:10.43\00:21:15.90
Kings 4. 2 Kings 4 -- We'll pick
it up in verse 1. I'm in the
00:21:15.90\00:21:19.74
NIV. Oh, this is
such a dramatic story.
00:21:19.74\00:21:21.81
Grab the pew bible. It's
page 255 in the pew bible
00:21:21.81\00:21:24.61
if you want to track
along. 2 Kings 4:1...
00:21:24.61\00:21:28.22
"'Your servant my husband
is dead...'" In 1967, two
00:21:42.70\00:21:50.11
psychiatrists, Thomas Holmes and
Richard Rahe, decided to study
whether or not stress
00:21:50.11\00:21:57.78
contributes to illness. They
surveyed more than 5,000 medical
patients and asked them to say
00:21:57.78\00:22:03.79
whether they had experienced any
of a series of 43 life events in
the previous 2 years.
00:22:03.79\00:22:09.86
Each event was called a "Life
Change Unit" and had been
assigned a different weight.
00:22:09.86\00:22:13.90
The more events the patient has
survived, obviously, the higher
00:22:13.90\00:22:17.90
the score. And the more
heavily-weighted the events, the
more likely, as well, for the
00:22:17.90\00:22:23.71
patient to become ill. The
number-one life-changing event,
you guessed it -- Weighed
00:22:23.71\00:22:28.88
at 100 by these two
psychiatrists, is the death of a
00:22:28.88\00:22:33.75
spouse. It's the number-one.
Nothing in human experience
significantly impacts and
00:22:33.75\00:22:38.12
stresses a person's life and
health more than the death of
00:22:38.12\00:22:45.16
his or her spouse. Widows and
widowers go on living with all
the attended stresses that come
00:22:45.16\00:22:52.37
with losing your life companion.
I cannot imagine what it would
be like going through life
00:22:52.37\00:22:56.67
without my love, my young love,
Karen. We just celebrated this
00:22:56.67\00:23:02.34
week our 42nd anniversary. We
were children when we got
married, and it's been a joy to
00:23:02.34\00:23:07.35
share those 42 years. I can't
imagine what it would be like.
00:23:07.35\00:23:10.72
"'Your servant my husband
is dead.'" But she goes on,
00:23:10.72\00:23:16.89
"'...and you know that he
revered the Lord.'" He was a
member of the school of
00:23:16.89\00:23:23.23
prophets. And Elijah the
Prophet, he was our hero last
week, sort of. The widows are
00:23:23.23\00:23:29.80
the heroes here. But Elijah the
Prophet, and now, along with his
successor, Elisha, they have
00:23:29.80\00:23:35.14
essentially restored the worship
of Israel's God, Yahweh, against
the backdrop -- the dark
00:23:35.14\00:23:42.38
backdrop -- of Ahab and
Jezebel's apostasy. So now these
schools of the prophets are
00:23:42.38\00:23:48.82
flourishing. He was a member.
The deceased father, the
deceased husband was a worshiper
00:23:48.82\00:23:52.13
of the True God, reminding us --
though we did not need the
reminder -- that as
00:23:52.13\00:23:56.03
Harold Kushner put it in
best-seller years ago, "Why Bad
Things Happen to Good
00:23:56.03\00:24:01.10
People" -- They just
do, even today. To widows.
00:24:01.10\00:24:06.71
"'And you know,'" the widow
tells the prophet, "'that he
revered the Lord.'"
00:24:06.71\00:24:10.91
But she goes on. "'But now his
creditor is coming to take my
00:24:10.91\00:24:16.08
two boys as his slaves.'" Now,
ladies and gentlemen, time out,
00:24:16.08\00:24:18.92
please. This is not an evil
creditor. This is -- This is not
00:24:18.92\00:24:23.76
a pagan creditor. This is a
believer creditor. And, by the
way, if you're a believer
00:24:23.76\00:24:27.96
creditor, be as compassionate as
you know how to be. But, you
see, the Law of Moses
00:24:27.96\00:24:32.30
made provision for if you're in
over your head, you can actually
go into debt to another
00:24:32.30\00:24:37.54
Israelite. You won't become a
slave, you won't become a bond
00:24:37.54\00:24:42.28
servant, but you'll become what
they call a hired servant. Your
wages will be used, as you
00:24:42.28\00:24:47.62
work, to pay off the accrued
debt. So it was a provision.
00:24:47.62\00:24:52.95
And, by the way, as soon as the
debt is paid off, you're no
longer a hired servant.
00:24:52.95\00:24:56.83
Or -- by the way, Athenian law
and Roman law did not have this
-- when the year of Jubilee
00:24:56.83\00:25:01.80
comes every 49 to 50 years, all
debts are cancelled. You're all
freed. Debt's gone.
00:25:01.80\00:25:06.67
So, this man, who has not forced
the living husband to pay the
debt -- he could have -- now
00:25:08.94\00:25:14.94
comes, 'cause the bread-winner
is gone, and he says, "Listen, I
need those two boys.
00:25:14.94\00:25:19.61
They'll work around my house.
I'll take care of them." But the
woman who has already
00:25:19.61\00:25:24.05
lost her husband cannot, cannot
fathom the thought, perish the
thought to have to lose my two
00:25:24.05\00:25:30.39
boys, for a while even. "So what
am I gonna do?" she asked the
00:25:30.39\00:25:35.96
prophet. And I love Elisha. He's
so different. He's so different
00:25:35.96\00:25:39.37
from Elijah. Thunderbolt,
firebrand, bushy-bearded Elijah.
And here you have probably
00:25:39.37\00:25:49.11
shorter, bald-head Elisha. But
he has the heart of a pastor.
00:25:49.11\00:25:54.35
Elijah was a loner. Elisha just
hangs around people through the
00:25:54.35\00:25:59.39
whole story. And so he looks at
her, and he asks a pastor's kind
of question -- Verse 2.
00:25:59.39\00:26:02.79
"Hey, lady. Lady. What do
you want me to do for you?"
00:26:05.89\00:26:10.57
And then he says, "I got an
idea. Tell me, what do you have
00:26:10.57\00:26:15.00
in your house?" Let's hit
the pause button right there.
00:26:15.00\00:26:18.24
"Woman, what do you have in
your house? She shoots back.
00:26:20.81\00:26:25.55
Her candor. Look at this. "'What
do you have in your house?'
00:26:25.55\00:26:29.05
'Your servant has nothing here
at all,' she said, 'except a
small jar of olive oil.'"
00:26:29.05\00:26:36.12
I used to think that was cooking
oil. You know, I got to have
00:26:36.12\00:26:38.76
some cooking olive oil. I'm
wrong. The Hebrew is clear, it
00:26:38.76\00:26:43.10
is anointing oil. Remember when
the old-man prophet Samuel was
00:26:43.10\00:26:47.74
looking for a king to take the
place of Saul who didn't turn
out? He finds this young
00:26:47.74\00:26:51.97
shepherd boy, and he pours over
those dark locks of future king
David oil that spilled over his
00:26:51.97\00:26:59.25
crown and down his face. It's
anointing oil. She and her
husband had been --
00:26:59.25\00:27:06.52
Some conclude that they, in
fact, had a little cottage
industry going, producing this
00:27:06.52\00:27:10.76
aromatic anointing oil, because
at the school of prophets,
you're gonna need oil.
00:27:10.76\00:27:14.46
"Come on. Stop by our place. For
just a couple bucks, we'll send
you on with some oil."
00:27:14.46\00:27:20.77
That's all she has left. And, by
the way, she's been selling it
00:27:20.77\00:27:23.87
all off. She's been selling it
off to try to stave off
bankruptcy, but now she has left
00:27:23.87\00:27:29.54
only one little flask of oil.
And you know what Elisha says to
00:27:29.54\00:27:32.95
her? "Yo, that's perfect. That's
perfect. Now, listen to what I
00:27:32.95\00:27:37.02
tell you, let's do this." And I
want to hit the pause button
right here before we even
00:27:37.02\00:27:39.89
read the verse, because
this is God. This is so God.
00:27:39.89\00:27:44.03
Have you noticed that, if God
has His druthers, He'd rather
start off with a little
00:27:46.46\00:27:52.83
something than with nothing.
Now, I understand, we have our
theologian friends across the
00:27:52.83\00:28:00.44
mall here. And they all speak
about "ex nihilo," which means
00:28:00.44\00:28:04.35
"from out of nothing." I know
that God created the earth out
00:28:04.35\00:28:07.62
of nothing. I know that God
created His universe out of
nothing. But, here's the point
00:28:07.62\00:28:13.22
-- If God had His druthers, He'd
prefer to work with what's
already in your hand.
00:28:13.22\00:28:18.99
"Yo, Moses. What do you have
in your hand?" "Just a rod."
00:28:18.99\00:28:25.23
"Perfect! You're gonna use
that rod to set My people free."
00:28:25.23\00:28:27.97
And, boy, it became a hot
rod in his hands. "Yo, Master of
00:28:27.97\00:28:33.61
Ceremonies, what do you have?"
"Oh, six empty stone jars in the
00:28:33.61\00:28:37.55
corner." "Oh, perfect. Let the
wedding feast go on. We got wine
00:28:37.55\00:28:42.75
now. Yo, Pete. What do you have
in your hand?" "Oh, just a
little fishing line
00:28:42.75\00:28:47.42
and a hook on the end."
"Perfect. Put that in the water.
00:28:47.42\00:28:50.23
The first fish you catch, open
its mouth. You'll have enough
00:28:50.23\00:28:53.70
money to pay your taxes and
Mine. Let's go. Hey, yo! Andrew!
00:28:53.70\00:28:56.43
What do you have?" "Oh, nothing
but five loaves and two fish."
00:28:56.43\00:29:00.57
"Perfect. I can feed 15,000
with that. Give it to Me."
00:29:00.57\00:29:05.21
Have you noticed that God
prefers to begin with what you
00:29:05.21\00:29:10.75
already have? We disparage what
we have and say, "Oh, man. My
00:29:10.75\00:29:15.35
gifts are nothing. I'm a nobody.
I can't do anything." And we are
00:29:15.35\00:29:21.32
dead wrong. "Give Me what you
have, and I'll work a miracle on
this planet." Give it to Him.
00:29:21.32\00:29:28.56
Ah, listen to this. "Desire of
Ages." I love this. Put this on
00:29:28.56\00:29:31.83
the screen. By the way, there's
a study guide in your bulletin,
which you'll take home and have
00:29:31.83\00:29:34.90
all these
quotes. "Desire of Ages."
00:29:34.90\00:29:36.60
Can you believe that? What
a blessed promise for widows.
00:29:50.49\00:29:54.52
What a blessed promise for all
of us desperate souls who pray
the desperate pray, "Dear God, I
00:29:54.52\00:30:01.70
don't have enough. This
little will never be enough."
00:30:01.70\00:30:06.77
"Just give it to Me." Next line,
same quote. "If the work" -- And
00:30:06.77\00:30:11.67
I'm inserting the word "prayer"
here -- "If the prayer be of
God, if the work be of God, He
00:30:11.67\00:30:15.54
Himself will provide the means
for its accomplishment. He will
reward honest, simple
00:30:15.54\00:30:21.72
reliance upon Him. The little
that is wisely and economically
used in the service
00:30:21.72\00:30:26.79
of the Lord of heaven will
increase" -- Isn't that
something? -- "will increase in
00:30:26.79\00:30:31.36
the very act of
imparting it." It grows. My.
00:30:31.36\00:30:36.83
Give the little you have left,
like the widow last week
reminded us, and what was that
00:30:36.83\00:30:40.97
line? God will
take care of you. Whew.
00:30:40.97\00:30:46.01
The little you have increases
as you give it. Here's one more
00:30:46.01\00:30:50.51
line from that page, "Desire of
Ages." "If we got to the Source
of all strength, with our hands
00:30:50.51\00:30:55.58
of faith" -- Look at this --
"hands of faith outstretched to
00:30:55.58\00:30:59.15
receive..." It's not wrong to go
like this in prayer to God. It's
00:30:59.15\00:31:03.16
not wrong. Some people say you
should never ask. Are you crazy?
00:31:03.16\00:31:06.06
He wants to be asked. It's
not wrong. Put your hands out.
00:31:06.06\00:31:09.43
"...your hands of faith
outstretched to receive..." If
we go, "we shall be sustained
00:31:09.43\00:31:15.07
in our work, even under the most
forbidding circumstances, and we
shall be enabled to give to
00:31:15.07\00:31:21.01
others the bread of life." God
not only will take care of you,
but through you, He'll take
00:31:21.01\00:31:25.85
care of the rest. What
a God. All right, verse 3.
00:31:25.85\00:31:33.96
"Oh, I have nothing but a little
flask of oil." Elisha says,
00:31:33.96\00:31:38.59
"Good. Go around and ask all
your neighbors for empty jars."
And I want you to notice that
00:31:38.59\00:31:44.67
next line. How's it read?
"Don't ask for just a few."
00:31:44.67\00:31:49.87
I mean, come on. That's
our problem. Too often, we quit
00:31:49.87\00:31:56.08
asking too soon.
00:31:56.08\00:31:57.18
We say, "Well, I
didn't get anything. No more."
00:31:59.21\00:32:00.95
No, no! Don't ask for just
a few. "Well, I got a little
00:32:00.95\00:32:05.72
blessing." No! No, there's more
where that came from. Don't ask
00:32:05.72\00:32:09.62
for just a few. After all, the
bible declares that God is able
to do immeasurably more than all
00:32:09.62\00:32:13.93
that we ask or imagine. Why
don't you -- In the presence of
a king, why don't you ask for
00:32:13.93\00:32:22.14
the king's gifts? He doesn't
give coupons out of Wheaties
00:32:22.14\00:32:29.08
cereal. He's got something to
give you, but you got to ask
him. Don't ask for just a few.
00:32:29.08\00:32:36.32
Like the widow, are you down to
your last nickel? Are you down
00:32:36.32\00:32:39.62
to your last prayer? Are you
down to your last hope? Keep
asking. Keep asking.
00:32:39.62\00:32:45.06
John Newton -- he's the one
who composed "Amazing grace, how
00:32:45.06\00:32:48.90
sweet the sound." Same John
Newton. Put the words of his
hymn on the screen for you.
00:32:48.90\00:32:52.90
Oh, I love this.
00:32:52.90\00:32:54.10
Hallelujah. What do you say?
Hallelujah. You can never ask
00:33:05.71\00:33:09.68
too much. Don't ask for just a
few. Verse 4. [ Clears throat ]
00:33:09.68\00:33:14.29
Then, after he's given that
little lesson, then Elisha goes
00:33:14.29\00:33:20.66
on. Did you catch that? Elisha
the Prophet says, "Yo. I want
your kids in on this
00:33:33.27\00:33:38.75
thing." Parents, I want you
to get that. Too often we think
00:33:38.75\00:33:43.62
that our adult walk with God is
just between us and God. I mean,
00:33:43.62\00:33:47.32
come on. Kids, just trust that
we're connected to God. And in
the process, we subtly
00:33:47.32\00:33:52.09
send the message that heavy
lifting -- you can't be a child
and do heavy lifting.
00:33:52.09\00:33:57.63
You got to be an adult. You
got to be a grownup to do heavy
00:33:57.63\00:34:00.74
lifting. And so we've raised a
generation now who even come to
this school, standing on the
00:34:00.74\00:34:04.41
sidelines saying "I guess I'm
still too young to do something
00:34:04.41\00:34:08.98
big for God." We make a terrible
mistake, moms and dads, when we
leave our children out of the
00:34:08.98\00:34:13.21
conversation. I would like to
suggest even the economic
survival conversation.
00:34:13.21\00:34:19.29
We need to let them know we are
calling upon the God of Israel
to intervene in our lives.
00:34:19.29\00:34:26.53
Your faith increases their
faith. Your obedience increases
00:34:26.53\00:34:31.00
their obedience. Why hide it?
"I want your boys in that room.
00:34:31.00\00:34:35.90
I don't want you sending them
outside. I want them to watch
00:34:35.90\00:34:39.51
what happens." Wow.
"Come, children," she says.
00:34:39.51\00:34:43.08
"Come, come, come. We must
pray." Oh, I try to picture that
00:34:43.08\00:34:46.75
moment. I love this picture in
my mind. That poor young widow
00:34:46.75\00:34:52.05
mother racing down the hot and
dusty road, her dark widow
garments flared like an airport
00:34:52.05\00:34:57.63
windsock behind her. She can
hardly wait. She gets in, slams
00:34:57.63\00:35:03.60
the door. [ Breathing heavily ]
"Boys, come here. I just talked
00:35:03.60\00:35:07.30
to the prophet. Now listen to me
very carefully. We are to find
every empty jar in this village,
00:35:07.30\00:35:13.78
do you understand me? I want you
to go to every neighbor's house,
00:35:13.78\00:35:16.78
I want you to tell them we'll
give the jar back. We just need
the jars right now.
00:35:16.78\00:35:19.65
Do you hear me, boys?
Bring as many jars as you can.
00:35:19.65\00:35:23.92
And wide-eyed, four feet pound
that empty house floor, out the
00:35:23.92\00:35:29.69
door. And
minutes later, here they
00:35:29.69\00:35:32.23
come, two or
three or four jugs each.
00:35:32.23\00:35:34.93
And Mother says, "All
right, line these up right here.
00:35:34.93\00:35:36.67
Line these up right
here. Close that door.
00:35:36.67\00:35:38.10
Close the door." Mother picks up
the little flask, wide-eyed all
00:35:38.10\00:35:45.47
three, because Mother is
watching this, too. What is
00:35:45.47\00:35:49.04
gonna happen? All three watch as
Mother's nervous hand pours out
a smooth, shiny stream of
00:35:49.04\00:35:55.65
anointing oil out of that small
flask that she owns into the
wide-open mouth of an empty jar
00:35:55.65\00:36:04.33
on the floor. "Quick! Quick! The
jar's full! Slide another here.
We can't waste a drop."
00:36:04.33\00:36:08.36
And they slide another
one under. And Mother's hand
00:36:08.36\00:36:12.90
continues to pour. That little
oil flask now is cocked in a
00:36:12.90\00:36:17.51
perpetual position of pouring,
and it just keeps pouring. "Hey,
Mama! W-Will the oil
00:36:17.51\00:36:23.55
stop?" "Shh! Don't even ask
that. I need more jars. Go!"
00:36:23.55\00:36:28.25
Boys go while she's finishing
up the last jars. They're out.
00:36:28.25\00:36:31.45
They're hunting down. They come
back arms full. They just line
00:36:31.45\00:36:35.49
them up right here, on they go.
Perpetual position of pouring. A
few minutes later, "Boys, I
00:36:35.49\00:36:39.53
need more jars. Quick, quick,
quick. More jars." They go, more
00:36:39.53\00:36:43.43
jars -- You know the drill. That
little floor is now covered with
jars glistening to their
00:36:43.43\00:36:48.10
brims with anointing oil. And
then verse 6 happens. Verse 6.
00:36:48.10\00:36:56.91
"And when all the jars were
full, Mother said to her son" --
her eldest, obviously -- "'Bring
00:36:56.91\00:37:03.22
me another one.'" But he
replied, 'There is not a jar
left in this county.'
00:37:03.22\00:37:08.59
And then the oil stopped
flowing." And she went, Mother
00:37:10.59\00:37:17.27
did, and told the man of God,
and he said, "Good. Now go, sell
00:37:17.27\00:37:22.67
the oil and pay your debts. You
and your sons can live on what
00:37:22.67\00:37:27.91
is left." Did you catch that, by
the way? God not only
miraculously provided the
00:37:27.91\00:37:35.32
resources to pay off the widow
mother's debt, but after the
debt was paid off, He provided
00:37:35.32\00:37:43.22
resources to keep her and her
two boys living. Apparently,
it's absolutely true.
00:37:43.22\00:37:47.96
God will take care of you.
00:37:47.96\00:37:50.30
It's called God's arithmetic.
I'm gonna give you a little
00:37:52.67\00:37:56.24
formula. Never forget it for the
rest of your life. I'll put it
00:37:56.24\00:37:58.94
on the screen for you. God's
arithmetic. "When we ADD" --
00:37:58.94\00:38:02.84
Let's read this out loud
together. Come on. "When we ADD,
00:38:02.84\00:38:10.22
God MULTIPLIES." Isn't that
amazing? Keep it on the screen.
They kept adding jars.
00:38:10.22\00:38:14.22
God kept pouring oil. When we
add, God multiplies. Mother's
giving her oil away,
00:38:14.22\00:38:18.76
and it keeps coming back in
spades, which as it turns out,
as Jesus points in the
00:38:18.76\00:38:23.37
Sermon on the Mount -- listen
to this. Put the words on the
00:38:23.37\00:38:27.54
screen for you. You'll see the
formula, God's arithmetic, right
00:38:27.54\00:38:32.14
there. Jesus is speaking. These
are all red-letter words in the
00:38:32.14\00:38:34.84
bible. Jesus says, "'Give'" --
Okay, that's when we add --
"'Give,'" when we add, "'and it
00:38:34.84\00:38:40.18
will be given to you. A good
measure, pressed down, shaken
together, running over,'"
00:38:40.18\00:38:44.12
that's God multiplying, "'it
will be poured into your lap.'"
Ooh, I love that word "poured."
00:38:44.12\00:38:47.99
It's almost as if Jesus had just
read this story and said, "You
00:38:47.99\00:38:50.76
know what? You just give to God,
and He'll just keep pouring into
00:38:50.76\00:38:54.46
your life. He'll keep pouring
into your life. You add, and God
00:38:54.46\00:39:01.04
will multiply." Wow. When you
add, God multiplies. It's God's
00:39:01.04\00:39:06.44
arithmetic. When the little
widow adds, He multiplies. When
you add, He multiplies.
00:39:06.44\00:39:11.38
One more text. Just one more.
Let me run this by you. Go to
the last book of -- We're
00:39:11.38\00:39:15.82
in Kings, so go to the last book
of the Old Testament. That would
00:39:15.82\00:39:19.92
be the book of Malachi. Just
before Matthew and we get into
the New Testament is
00:39:19.92\00:39:22.96
Malachi. Take a look at this.
Malachi -- This is Malachi 3.
00:39:22.96\00:39:26.86
I want you see this. The same
arithmetic formula is embedded
00:39:26.86\00:39:31.90
in these words. You'll spot it
immediately. This is Malachi
3:10. God is speaking.
00:39:31.90\00:39:37.81
"'Bring the whole tithe into the
storehouse,'" when we add --
There it is -- Jot it down.
00:39:37.81\00:39:43.08
When we add, "'Bring the whole
tithe into the storehouse, that
there may be food in My house.
00:39:43.08\00:39:48.58
And test Me in this,' says the
Lord of Hosts, 'and see if I
will not throw open the
00:39:48.58\00:39:53.72
floodgates of heaven and pour'"
-- There's that word again --
"'and pour out so much
00:39:53.72\00:40:00.16
blessing'" -- There He goes
again, multiplying. When we add,
00:40:00.16\00:40:07.10
God multiplies. "'I will pour
out so much blessing,'" as the
Old King James reads, "'that you
00:40:07.10\00:40:11.71
will not have room enough
to store it.'" When we add, He
00:40:11.71\00:40:19.51
multiplies. How can you
beat a deal like that? You a
00:40:19.51\00:40:23.55
businessman? Could you
survive on that? God can. 10%.
00:40:23.55\00:40:29.39
And, by the way, this is
amazing, because this is God's
00:40:29.39\00:40:33.40
10%. Hey, boy. I don't
have to give you a thing.
00:40:33.40\00:40:36.36
This is mine. Don't act
like you're doing me a favor.
00:40:36.36\00:40:40.50
This is mine. But no, no! He
says, "Listen. You return what's
00:40:40.50\00:40:45.11
Mine, and I'm gonna -- You add,
and I'm gonna multiply." Wow.
00:40:45.11\00:40:50.85
"I'll open the floodgates of
heaven." Which, by the way, begs
00:40:50.85\00:40:53.42
the question "Then why?" Come
on, listen, listen, listen. "Why
00:40:53.42\00:41:00.76
am I so hesitant? Why am I so
hesitant to give? Why am I so
hesitant to return God's tithe
00:41:00.76\00:41:09.70
if the formula is when we add,
He multiplies?" So, again, I'm
gonna tell you this.
00:41:09.70\00:41:16.50
Just last week, I sat down. I
said, "Okay, God. I have a blank
00:41:16.50\00:41:19.54
piece of paper right here and
I have a sharpened pencil in my
00:41:19.54\00:41:22.58
hand. Let's go. I need to ask
you a question. I need you to
tell me why this is such a big
00:41:22.58\00:41:27.58
deal. I mean, I understand
this nickels and dimes stuff. I
00:41:27.58\00:41:30.92
understand that. But I want to
know why Jesus talked about
money and giving more than any
00:41:30.92\00:41:36.73
other single subject He ever
discussed. Why is giving such a
00:41:36.73\00:41:42.66
big deal to You? In other words,
God, I'm gonna assume that
there's something hugely
00:41:42.66\00:41:49.77
beneficial when we do this. But
now come on, God. Don't check
out on me yet, God.
00:41:49.77\00:41:54.04
Here's the deal. If we're living
at the end of time -- and dear
00:41:54.04\00:41:57.78
God, I believe we're living at
the end of time -- if we are
living at the end of time, and
00:41:57.78\00:42:04.49
You are waiting, as the bible
says, "to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord all over
00:42:04.49\00:42:10.29
the planet," I get that part,
too. But if You're waiting to
make ready, to prepare a people,
00:42:10.29\00:42:17.53
then what place does giving have
in this maturing -- What does
00:42:17.53\00:42:23.07
the bible call it? The
sanctifying process. What place
does it have? I said, "I'm ready
00:42:23.07\00:42:28.58
now. Let's go." And I began
to scribble. Now, look at it.
00:42:28.58\00:42:32.98
This is not inspired, what I'm
about to share with you, but
it's what I scribbled down.
00:42:32.98\00:42:36.75
It's on the study guide. You'll
have it. You don't need to look
00:42:36.75\00:42:40.49
at it now. I'll put
it on the screen for you.
00:42:40.49\00:42:44.19
Number one -- What's the big
deal about giving, God? Number
00:42:44.19\00:42:47.96
one... God says, "Come on.
I love to give." What's it?
00:42:56.37\00:42:58.87
John 3:16, "For God so loved the
world that He gave..." How about
00:42:58.87\00:43:04.95
2 Corinthians 8:9? "For you know
the grace of Christ Jesus, that
though He was rich, yet for your
00:43:04.95\00:43:08.98
sakes He became poor, so that
through His poverty you might
00:43:08.98\00:43:14.29
become rich." He's a giver. And
this is my favorite. Do you now
00:43:14.29\00:43:17.59
Galatians 2:20? I think
everybody knows Galatians 2:20.
We got songs. "I am crucified
00:43:17.59\00:43:21.86
with Christ" -- Remember that
one? "I am crucified with Christ
-- Nevertheless I live,
00:43:21.86\00:43:25.07
yet not I, but Christ lives in
me -- and the life I live, I
live by the faith of the Son of
00:43:25.07\00:43:29.84
God" -- Now, hold on, hold on --
"by the faith of the Son of God
who loved me, and gave Himself
00:43:29.84\00:43:37.65
for me." Said, "I'm a
giver. You want to be like Me?
00:43:37.65\00:43:42.32
Then give. The more you give,
the more like Me you'll become.
00:43:42.32\00:43:45.69
Give. I'm not talking about the
amount, I'm just talking about
00:43:45.69\00:43:49.16
the practice. The more times you
give, the more you're growing
00:43:49.16\00:43:53.19
into Me." I scribbled it
down. Here comes number two.
00:43:53.19\00:43:55.60
God will take care of you. 1
Peter 5, "Cast your cares on
Him, for He cares for you."
00:44:03.97\00:44:08.68
Please. Philippians 4:19,
my favorite of all favorite
00:44:08.68\00:44:12.25
promises. Oh, I hope you go home
and look this one up.
Philippians 4:19, "And my God
00:44:12.25\00:44:15.85
will meet all your needs
according to His riches in glory
through Christ Jesus."
00:44:15.85\00:44:20.46
"I'll take care of you. Girl,
boy, give. Come on. Let me know
that we're partners
00:44:20.46\00:44:25.13
in this. I will take care of
you." Number three -- "Giving
00:44:25.13\00:44:29.43
declares I believe that it all
belongs to God," as our doxology
sings, "'from whom all blessings
00:44:29.43\00:44:35.44
flow.'" God says to
the children of Israel.
00:44:35.44\00:44:38.77
They're just going into the
Promised Land, and in
Deuteronomy 8:17-18, God says to
00:44:38.77\00:44:42.61
the children of Israel, "By the
way, you're gonna have lots of
00:44:42.61\00:44:45.38
crops. You're gonna be build
big farms. You're gonna have
00:44:45.38\00:44:48.75
sprawling estates. But when you
get over there, you're gonna be
tempted to think 'I did all this
00:44:48.75\00:44:52.79
myself. I earned this. I worked
hard. This is mine.'" "No," God
00:44:52.79\00:44:58.29
says in verse 18. "Know the
truth -- I gave you your wealth.
The wealth is from Me.
00:44:58.29\00:45:03.10
It's all Mine. And I gave it
to you. Remember from whence it
00:45:03.10\00:45:09.24
comes." And finally, I said,
"God, number four." Here it is,
00:45:09.24\00:45:14.34
last one. Oh, boy.
00:45:14.34\00:45:15.71
That's it. I can't speak for
you, but I'm telling you, I am
00:45:25.25\00:45:30.83
wired -- I am wired to look out
for myself. I am wired to hang
onto everything that my little,
00:45:30.83\00:45:36.36
grubby fingers can latch onto.
Hang onto it. The day's coming
00:45:36.36\00:45:40.50
when I'm not gonna have it. Hang
onto it. I am wired to serve me.
00:45:40.50\00:45:45.57
Giving is a frontal assault on
that inbred wiring to preserve
00:45:45.57\00:45:53.08
ourselves. Jesus said in Mark
8:34-35, "If anyone wants to
follow Me, let him, let her deny
00:45:53.08\00:45:57.75
herself, let him take up the
cross and follow Me. For if a
man saves his life,
00:45:57.75\00:46:01.19
he'll lose it. But if he loses
his life for My sake and the
00:46:01.19\00:46:04.19
gospel, he will save it." "I'm
gonna confront selfishness,
Dwight, in your life to the
00:46:04.19\00:46:08.43
core, and I'm gonna ask you to
give." Now, I know what some of
00:46:08.43\00:46:12.87
you are thinking. You're
thinking kind of like me. "Well,
I already give. Huh.
00:46:12.87\00:46:17.01
Too late. I'm in."
Okay. Hold that thought.
00:46:17.01\00:46:22.48
I'm gonna end with this
quote, and then I'll sit down.
00:46:22.48\00:46:24.81
"Christ Object Lessons," the
little classic on the parables
00:46:24.81\00:46:26.88
of Jesus. What
is this? Page 351.
00:46:26.88\00:46:30.75
This will blow your mind. In
fact, when I get to the end of
it, you're gonna say,
00:46:30.75\00:46:36.32
"Dwight, did you have to even
read that today? What were you
00:46:36.32\00:46:39.79
thinking? We were really on a
high note till you blew it."
Okay. Take it up with Him.
00:46:39.79\00:46:44.13
Here's the quote. Put
it on the screen for you.
00:46:44.13\00:46:47.30
And you're saying, "Oh, duh.
Dwight, come on. We already knew
00:46:56.71\00:46:59.85
that. You didn't have to tell
us that." No, it's what follows.
00:46:59.85\00:47:03.28
That's the easy... Okay, come
on. Just read on. And this is
00:47:03.28\00:47:09.02
written with
Dwight's name all over it.
00:47:09.02\00:47:10.73
Hit the pause button. That's
what I do. I fill out my tithe,
00:47:19.63\00:47:23.94
boom. I fill out my offerings,
boom. And then I drop it in that
offering plate, and I say, "God,
00:47:23.94\00:47:28.78
You go. Good luck with
this, because the rest is mine."
00:47:28.78\00:47:35.18
I have thought that way for
years, until Karen and I were
having worship about a week or
00:47:35.18\00:47:39.89
two ago and we came across
this line, and I said, "I can't
00:47:39.89\00:47:45.43
believe it." Now, you need to
understand, the line does not
say "Give Me 20%, 10% and 10%
00:47:45.43\00:47:51.80
offerings maybe." "Well, the
other 80%, then, God, is mine."
00:47:51.80\00:47:56.94
No, no, no. The quotation is
saying it's that thinking. I'm
not asking for the other
00:47:56.94\00:48:00.64
80%, so you can take a deep
breath now. I'm not asking for
00:48:00.64\00:48:04.41
the other 80%, but notice what
she says. "Some think that only
a portion of their means is the
00:48:04.41\00:48:11.02
Lord's. When they have set apart
a portion for religious and
charitable purposes," unlock the
00:48:11.02\00:48:14.96
pause button, "they regard the
remainder as their own, to be
used as they see fit.
00:48:14.96\00:48:20.90
But in this,
Dwight, you mistake.
00:48:20.90\00:48:24.93
"All we possess is the Lord's,
and we are accountable to Him
00:48:24.93\00:48:27.90
for the use we make of it.
In the use of every penny, it
00:48:27.90\00:48:31.61
will be seen whether we love God
supremely and our neighbor as
00:48:31.61\00:48:36.58
ourselves." Huh?
That's rather -- I know what
00:48:36.58\00:48:43.99
you're saying. "Dwight, you
could have gone all day and not
00:48:43.99\00:48:48.12
read that." God's not asking for
the other 80%, ladies and
gentlemen. Come on, brothers and
00:48:48.12\00:48:51.63
sisters. He's not asking for
the other 80%. But you know what
00:48:51.63\00:48:54.36
he's asking me to do? He's says,
"Dwight, you see this 80% that's
00:48:54.36\00:48:56.70
left? I want you to treat that
as Mine, okay? You go ahead and
00:48:56.70\00:48:59.70
spend it. You go ahead and buy
what you got to buy. But I want
00:48:59.70\00:49:03.24
you to remember I died for this.
I died. I died for the 80%, as
00:49:03.24\00:49:06.04
well. That's Mine. Just spend
it in a way that glorifies Me."
00:49:06.04\00:49:10.61
Loving Me supremely, and my
neighbor as myself. Ooh, that
opens up all kinds of
00:49:10.61\00:49:15.58
doors for giving, doesn't it?
And He said, "Dwight, why are
00:49:15.58\00:49:19.25
you in this kick?" Here's the
deal. I'm gonna repeat it. I
believe Jesus is coming soon.
00:49:19.25\00:49:24.66
And I believe what the bible
says. The bible says God is
00:49:24.66\00:49:27.36
making ready a people prepared
for the Lord. And with all my
00:49:27.36\00:49:31.03
heart, in my prayer times with
God, it just is like a heavier
and heavier burden on my heart
00:49:31.03\00:49:36.94
-- Are we as a people being
shaped into readiness for the
00:49:36.94\00:49:41.14
return of Christ? When it comes,
it comes just like that. There
won't be, "Oh, now let's
00:49:41.14\00:49:45.31
move into prepare mode." No, no.
Now is the prepare time. Giving
is obviously critical in
00:49:45.31\00:49:53.09
God shaping me into His
likeness. Hey, let me remind
00:49:53.09\00:49:57.53
you, there are two lakes in
Palestine. Two lakes. I'll sit
00:49:57.53\00:50:00.60
down after this. Two lakes. One
lake up north. Give me the name
00:50:00.60\00:50:03.50
of the lake up north. What's
the lake up north? Galilee.
00:50:03.50\00:50:06.53
Into it, the melted snows
of Mount Hermon pour. What does
00:50:06.53\00:50:10.04
Galilee do? At the bottom of
Galilee there's called the --
What river is it called?
00:50:10.04\00:50:12.77
Jordan River. And it just take
that live-giving water down,
00:50:12.77\00:50:16.58
down, down. There's one
more sea in Palestine today.
00:50:16.58\00:50:19.45
And what's the name of that sea?
Dead Sea. Do you know why it's a
00:50:19.45\00:50:23.42
dead sea? Because it hoards.
Dead Sea keep the blessings it
gets and never lets them go.
00:50:23.42\00:50:29.06
Dead Sea embraces the blessings
and say, "These belong to me."
And the Dead Sea is, guess what,
00:50:29.06\00:50:34.03
dead. Dead. And I
am concerned that if we
00:50:34.03\00:50:40.07
don't get this giving lesson,
some of us are gonna lose our
00:50:40.07\00:50:44.77
souls. Can I just be -- Can I
just be... If you're not tithing
00:50:44.77\00:50:48.34
right now, you'll lose your soul
someday. If you continue not
tithing, and you know that God
00:50:48.34\00:50:52.45
has called you and you're not
tithing, you're disobeying Him,
00:50:52.45\00:50:57.09
and you will die. I'm sorry.
That's the truth. If you are not
giving right now. Oh, all I do
00:50:57.09\00:51:01.89
is tithe. If you're not giving
right now, the spontaneous
giving, you'll die.
00:51:01.89\00:51:06.43
Now, look. I'm talking to a
widow here who says, "I got two
00:51:06.43\00:51:09.96
kids and no husband." Look,
nobody says you have to give
like the guy that has
00:51:09.96\00:51:14.04
portfolios coming out his
collection. But you, too, must
00:51:14.04\00:51:22.61
give. The poorest of the poor
must give. That's how we become
00:51:22.61\00:51:26.55
like the great giver of the
universe. We become just like
00:51:26.55\00:51:31.65
Him when we give. I am praying
for you. I am praying that if
this is an area in your life
00:51:31.65\00:51:38.13
right now that the Holy Spirit
is speaking in your mind -- and
trust me, if it's an area in
00:51:38.13\00:51:42.66
your life, you already know it.
You didn't need me to stand up.
I just triggered a memory, and
00:51:42.66\00:51:46.74
now the Holy Spirit is full
time, full time talking to you.
If you hoard, you are dead.
00:51:46.74\00:51:52.94
If you hoard, you are lost
forever. It's not about raising
00:51:52.94\00:52:00.58
money. It's about saving souls,
and it's your soul on the line.
Sir, it's your soul, your
00:52:00.58\00:52:07.76
choice.
00:52:07.76\00:52:09.02
What should we do? Give.
When we give, He multiplies.
00:52:14.10\00:52:21.80
He could not make it any more
attractive than that. "Just give
Me whatever you got.
00:52:21.80\00:52:25.81
I'll multiply that. I'll
multiply. I will take care of
00:52:25.81\00:52:29.58
you. Just give, girl, boy. Just
give to Me. I will take care of
00:52:29.58\00:52:34.18
you." Ladies and gentlemen, He
will. Amen. Oh, God, forgive us.
00:52:34.18\00:52:42.59
Oh, forgive me. I
thought the rest of it was mine.
00:52:42.59\00:52:48.00
It's mine to steward and manage,
but, oh, God, it's all Yours.
And why would I be complaining?
00:52:48.00\00:52:54.44
You have emptied the treasury
of heaven. You have offered me
00:52:54.44\00:52:58.41
eternal life that will never end
in a perfect paradise where the
heartache that we're living with
00:52:58.41\00:53:04.28
now will never happen again.
You're offering it free of
charge if I'll just give You my
00:53:04.28\00:53:09.55
life and my all. And so, Father,
I pray for a people that you are
00:53:09.55\00:53:15.56
making ready for the return of
Christ. Please, let there not be
a man within the sound of this
00:53:15.56\00:53:19.83
voice, let there not be a woman
who steels her heart and says,
00:53:19.83\00:53:23.20
"I will not give. I
will not give the stuff..."
00:53:23.20\00:53:25.87
Please, dead God, don't let
us be foolish on the cusp of the
00:53:28.47\00:53:36.31
Promised Land. Teach us the
truth and grant us the grace and
the joy of Christ, to gladly
00:53:36.31\00:53:44.75
follow wherever He leads. We
add, you multiply, and we are
00:53:44.75\00:53:50.43
grateful. In Jesus' name, let
all His friends say "Amen and
00:53:50.43\00:53:56.77
amen." [ "'Tis So Sweet
to Trust in Jesus" plays ]
00:53:56.77\00:53:59.07
[ Congregation sings ]
00:53:59.07\00:54:01.87
[ Music stops ] >> If you would
like someone to lift you up to
00:56:24.98\00:56:28.28
that Jesus, at the end of the
service, you have a need for
yourself or for somebody else
00:56:28.28\00:56:32.29
you love or know, our prayer
team will be standing right up
here. Come up to them, and they
00:56:32.29\00:56:36.16
will be honored to pray on your
behalf. Jesus ends the entire
00:56:36.16\00:56:40.96
bible with His words. Here they
are. "He who testifies to these
00:56:40.96\00:56:45.00
things says 'Yes, I am coming
soon. Amen.'" Come, Lord Jesus.
00:56:45.00\00:56:51.74
The grace of the Lord Jesus
be with God's people. Amen.
00:56:51.74\00:56:57.15
>> May I take an extra moment
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00:57:00.35\00:57:03.89
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00:57:03.89\00:57:07.62
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00:57:07.62\00:57:11.09
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00:57:14.20\00:57:19.33
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00:57:22.17\00:57:26.84
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00:57:54.04\00:57:57.71
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