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[ "You Are My Vision" plays ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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>> Amen. >> 1 John 5:14-15 says
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that we should be confident.
That if we ask for things
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according to God's
will, that He will hear us,
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and if He hears us, we
should know that our prayers
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have been answered. So
if we ask God to be our
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wisdom and to be our vision,
we should know that He has
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answered this prayer,
and He will be with us
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through every moment of our
lives and through every storm
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that we may encounter. So
I ask that you sing with us
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with this next song
as we affirm this truth.
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[ "Healer" plays ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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¤ I believe ¤ [
Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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¤ I believe ¤ [
Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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¤ Oh, yes, you
are ¤ ¤ Yes, you are ¤
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[ Performers sing ]
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Amen. Jesus is all we need.
And when these storms come into
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our lives, we don't need to ask
God to send the clouds away. We
need to ask Him to rain,
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with His Holy Spirit, down
into our lives. So if it is your
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desire this morning, and if it's
your prayer to be filled with
the Holy Spirit, I invite you
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to come to the front as
we sing this final song.
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[ "Holy Spirit
Rain Down" plays ]
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[ Performer sings ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Performers sing ]
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[ Music stops ]
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>> Let's talk to Him. Dear
God, it is a battle down here.
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We needed those words, "One day
we shall study war no more, and
we will walk in the light."
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All the hurting hearts who
are gathered here with smiles on
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their faces 'cause we don't tell
people how we're really feeling.
The world just beyond these
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walls, desperately in need. What
are we going to do? Teach us.
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Speak to us. We pray in the
Holy Scripture. We ask in Jesus'
00:13:09.18\00:13:14.29
name. Amen.
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So I'm going through my library
the other day, and I'm pulling
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out books. I said,
"Do I have any books --"
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starting a new GROW group
called Against the Strongholds:
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Praying East & West.
"Do I have any books?
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Do I have any books?"
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A seminary professor friend of
mine called me -- got up 3
o'clock in the morning.
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Sunday morning -- woke
up. Sunday morning. Yeah.
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He said, "I just felt
impressed to pray." "What?"
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"I'm gonna pray for Japan." Oh,
you heard that report we shared
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a few weeks ago about Japan, the
massive needs in that country.
He says, "Dwight, I'm telling
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you what. We don't need
namby-pamby praying now.
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We got to pray against the
strongholds. Man, this is huge
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for the Kingdom." Well, he's
right. I talked to some other
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prayer leaders, they
said, "He's absolutely right."
00:13:59.93\00:14:05.34
Some plans are being put
into operation to one day
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have a day of fasting
and prayer on this campus.
00:14:08.24\00:14:11.81
But, anyway, so I'm looking
at all these books, and I'm
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thinking, "What kind of
strategic praying do you do?
00:14:14.25\00:14:16.55
What kind of militant praying
is it that we're supposed
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to do, radical praying to
go against the strongholds?"
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God knows these strongholds are
shooting up faster than we can
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put our fingers in the dike. So
what are supposed to do? The
whole world's a stronghold.
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You got Japan, you got the U.S.
Even campuses, even
congregations, even our own
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hearts can be strongholds. How
do we keep from being overcome,
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overrun? We got this Wednesday
night, 7 o'clock, over in the
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Youth Chapel. Come and join
us. We had 39 sign up this last
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week. I really believe the more
we have praying in this battle
against the strongholds...
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the more power is unleashed. 2
Corinthians 10:4. Come and join
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us if you have the time. Anyway,
so I'm pulling out these books,
and I come across a book.
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You're not going to believe
this. How do you have a book in
00:15:06.60\00:15:09.10
your library you've never read
written by somebody I've never
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heard of? R.A. Torrey.
Ever heard of him? R.A. Torrey.
00:15:11.64\00:15:14.61
I open it up, I spot a line just
like that, and I say, "No way.
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I'm sharing the line with you,"
and that's what I'm gonna do
00:15:19.25\00:15:21.95
right now. I want you to get a
little context for the line.
Open your Bible with me
00:15:21.95\00:15:24.52
to the Book of Romans, please.
Romans Chapter -- Everyone knows
00:15:24.52\00:15:26.82
the Book of Romans. Romans 15.
I'll bet you that if you've ever
00:15:26.82\00:15:31.29
read the Book of Romans through
-- I know you've read this, but
I'll bet just like me,
00:15:31.29\00:15:35.06
you blew through this verse
as if nothing were there but a
00:15:35.06\00:15:38.50
passionate appeal. Paul said,
"Oh, please pray for me. Pray
00:15:38.50\00:15:41.14
for me." Take a look at this.
What did we miss when we didn't
00:15:41.14\00:15:45.04
read slowly? Romans 15.
Then I'll share that little R.A.
00:15:45.04\00:15:49.88
Torrey line. So this is Romans
15. You didn't bring a Bible,
grab the pew Bible in front
00:15:49.88\00:15:53.11
of you. You don't want to have a
Bible, but you want to use your
00:15:53.11\00:15:56.25
device, fine. Look it up
there. It's Romans 15:30.
00:15:56.25\00:15:58.29
This is the N.I.V. --
put it on the screen for you.
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"I urge you" -- Paul writing...
00:16:00.56\00:16:02.62
I mean, this is pretty dramatic.
"I'm begging you" -- some of
your translations read --
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"I'm begging you. I'm
pleading with you. Pray for me."
00:16:14.37\00:16:18.91
You will never have a full
appreciation of what your
prayers for other people,
00:16:18.91\00:16:24.88
the impact they have. What
happens when just little old you
00:16:24.88\00:16:29.38
pray? You pray for this little
old pastor, I'm telling you what
00:16:29.38\00:16:33.09
-- [ Sighs ] Do we need each
other's prayer? Paul says, "I'm
pleading with you," and yet
00:16:33.09\00:16:39.26
tucked right in this line, he
says, "I ask that you pray as I
come to you in the name of the
00:16:39.26\00:16:45.20
Lord Jesus, and" -- Did you
catch that? "I come to you in
the love of the Spirit."
00:16:45.20\00:16:50.37
Now, hit the pause button
right there. Wait a minute.
00:16:50.37\00:16:52.44
This is not just about praying.
There's this little phrase
tucked away, but do you know
00:16:52.44\00:16:56.14
what that little phrase
dramatically is telling us? Get
00:16:56.14\00:16:58.88
this. The Holy Spirit is a
divine person who loves you
personally. There are all kinds
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of people around -- maybe even
on this campus. There are people
00:17:05.95\00:17:09.06
who think the Holy Spirit is
this kind of ethereal cloud from
God that hovers over the Earth,
00:17:09.06\00:17:13.73
embracing all people
with God's love. Wrong.
00:17:13.73\00:17:15.93
That's not the Holy Spirit. The
Holy Spirit's not an it. The
Holy Spirit is a He.
00:17:15.93\00:17:19.90
Had a woman come up to me after
-- a young mother -- met her in
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the hall as I'm walking around,
just before walking to this
front pew, and she said,
00:17:23.34\00:17:27.01
"Dwight, my name is Carolyn, and
I want to tell you something.
The Holy Spirit is not a He,
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He's also a She." Well, she's
right. We try to use our human
00:17:30.25\00:17:38.02
pronouns to capture God. You
can't. The point is, He/She is
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not an it. That's the point
-- not an it. Too many people,
00:17:45.09\00:17:50.03
"Well, the Holy Spirit means the
Spirit from God, this mind of
God, the heart of God."
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Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong,
wrong. And, by the way, what did
00:17:53.70\00:17:56.24
we just read about the Holy
Spirit? The love of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit loves you
00:17:56.24\00:18:01.28
personally. Dwight, who cares?
Ethereal spirit or personal
00:18:01.28\00:18:08.25
being -- what's the difference?
You want to know what the
00:18:08.25\00:18:12.32
difference is? Here comes the
R.A. Torrey line. I want you to
look this up right now.
00:18:12.32\00:18:14.82
It's in your Study Guide. Pull
it out. Let's go to that R.A.
00:18:14.82\00:18:17.83
Torrey line. Does this
tell it like it is? Absolutely.
00:18:17.83\00:18:22.10
Study Guide's in your
Worship Bulletin. You didn't get
00:18:22.10\00:18:24.87
a Worship Bulletin
when you came in? Come on.
00:18:24.87\00:18:27.30
We got some friendly ushers who
are just itching to come your
00:18:27.30\00:18:30.57
way. Ushers, thank you, please,
for standing up right now and
00:18:30.57\00:18:34.24
distributing these Study Guides.
Hold your hand up. You see, they
00:18:34.24\00:18:36.98
have to sit in other places in
the church because we're going
to receive our Connect Cards in
00:18:36.98\00:18:39.98
a moment, but don't worry. Give
them a little time. And those of
00:18:39.98\00:18:42.38
you watching right now, let me
put a website on the screen for
you so that you can get this
00:18:42.38\00:18:46.39
website. You can get the
Study Guide. You see it on your
00:18:46.55\00:18:49.62
screen? There it is now
-- www.newperceptions.tv.
00:18:49.62\00:18:52.29
Go to that website.
Some of you who are live
00:18:52.29\00:18:54.36
streaming are already
there, but you're watching on
00:18:54.36\00:18:56.73
a television somewhere,
you're listening on a radio,
00:18:56.73\00:18:59.13
go to that website
-- newperceptions.tv.
00:18:59.13\00:19:01.50
You're looking for this
teaching, "King of Hearts:
00:19:01.50\00:19:04.31
Can You Feel the Love?"
When you find that teaching,
00:19:04.31\00:19:07.48
click on to it.
You'll have the Study Guide.
00:19:07.48\00:19:09.08
You're going to want
this R.A. Torrey quote.
00:19:09.08\00:19:11.38
All right. So up in the balcony,
00:19:11.38\00:19:12.58
they're getting to
you there. Okay, let's go.
00:19:12.58\00:19:14.15
I'm not going to
wait. By the way, jot down
00:19:14.15\00:19:16.38
Romans 15:30 while we're here.
Would you please jot it down?
00:19:16.38\00:19:19.69
"I urge you, brothers
and sisters" -- It's in your
00:19:19.69\00:19:21.79
Study Guide -- "by
our Lord Jesus Christ
00:19:21.79\00:19:24.23
and by the love
of the Spirit --"
00:19:24.23\00:19:26.80
Wow, that's
unusual. Look at that.
00:19:26.80\00:19:29.00
"By the love of the Spirit,
to join me in my struggle
00:19:29.00\00:19:32.23
by praying to God for
me." Now, here it comes --
00:19:32.23\00:19:34.84
R.A. Torrey. I
promised it to you.
00:19:34.84\00:19:36.64
It's on the screen.
You'll need to fill it in.
00:19:36.64\00:19:38.74
"It is of the highest
importance," Torrey writes,
00:19:38.74\00:19:42.38
"from a practical standpoint
that we know the Holy Spirit
00:19:42.38\00:19:46.18
as a" --
Capital "P" -- "Person."
00:19:46.18\00:19:48.98
Don't worry about
the pronoun gender.
00:19:48.98\00:19:51.05
He's a Capital "P" --
Person. "To think of the Spirit
00:19:51.05\00:19:54.79
as merely an influence
or power," an it, "then your
00:19:54.79\00:19:57.43
thought will constantly
be," Yo, "How can I get hold of
00:19:57.43\00:20:00.33
the Holy Spirit and use
it? How can I get more of
00:20:00.33\00:20:02.53
the Holy
Spirit?'" Oh, write that in.
00:20:02.53\00:20:04.87
Now, watch how
he flips the coin.
00:20:04.87\00:20:07.00
Brilliant. "But if you think of
00:20:07.00\00:20:08.97
the Holy Spirit in the biblical
way, as a Person of divine
00:20:08.97\00:20:12.14
majesty and glory, your
thought will be, 'How can
00:20:12.14\00:20:14.88
the Holy Spirit get
hold of me and use me?
00:20:14.88\00:20:17.31
How can the Holy
Spirit get more of me?'"
00:20:17.31\00:20:21.05
Did you write that down?
00:20:21.05\00:20:22.95
That just changes radically the
way you pray. "Oh, God, give me
00:20:23.12\00:20:26.09
more of the Holy Spirit. Give
me more of the Holy Spirit."
00:20:26.09\00:20:28.29
What if you and I are praying,
"Oh, God, give more of me to the
00:20:28.29\00:20:32.19
Holy Spirit? Give more of me
to the Holy Spirit?" I mean, can
00:20:32.19\00:20:37.87
you believe this? Jot it down.
"The majestic, glorious Being
and Person we think of
00:20:37.87\00:20:41.40
as the Third Person of the
Godhead loves" -- He personally
00:20:41.40\00:20:45.91
"loves you and me." Bible calls
Him the Comforter. Bible calls
00:20:45.91\00:20:49.51
Him the Friend. Bible calls Him
the Advocate. Bible calls Him
the Spirit of Yahweh.
00:20:49.51\00:20:56.28
He's a personal being. He wants
to be a friend with you forever
00:20:56.28\00:21:02.22
and ever. [ Scoffs ] You
can't deal with Him as an it.
00:21:02.22\00:21:06.83
We don't realize that, in fact,
right here in Romans 15:30, Paul
is in the midst of laying
00:21:06.83\00:21:11.47
out what I believe is the most
stunning portrayal of Trinity
love anywhere in Scripture.
00:21:11.47\00:21:15.94
I'm going to prove it
to you right now. Come on.
00:21:15.94\00:21:18.61
We'll just walk through those
pages in one split second.
Everybody knows Romans 5:5.
00:21:18.61\00:21:23.24
We do here because we began this
series two weeks ago with Romans
00:21:23.24\00:21:27.12
5:5, and that's where he starts
talking about the love of God.
So just look at Romans 5:5.
00:21:27.12\00:21:31.62
Remember this
verse? How's this go?
00:21:31.79\00:21:35.29
"And hope does not put us
to shame, because God's love
00:21:35.29\00:21:38.69
has been poured
out into our hearts" --
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.23
through whom? --
"through the Holy Spirit,
00:21:41.23\00:21:43.70
who has been given to us."
Would you jot that down, please?
00:21:43.70\00:21:46.33
Romans 5:5 -- "the love of God,
00:21:46.33\00:21:48.34
the love of God."
Good news, Paul says.
00:21:48.34\00:21:51.17
We are all loved to the
max by the God of the Universe.
00:21:51.17\00:21:55.28
But now Paul will
carefully begin to differentiate
00:21:55.28\00:21:58.55
the love of God. Watch this.
00:21:58.55\00:22:00.42
Drop down to Verse 8. Verse 8.
00:22:00.42\00:22:02.68
You know Verse 8, perhaps...
00:22:02.68\00:22:04.59
He's obviously talking about
the Father, because it's not
00:22:12.39\00:22:14.46
Christ. So the Father.
00:22:14.46\00:22:15.66
Would you jot that
down, please? Romans 5:8.
00:22:15.66\00:22:17.97
He's just described
the love of God the Father.
00:22:17.97\00:22:20.37
Now, turn a couple
pages over to Romans 8.
00:22:20.37\00:22:24.51
Drop down to Verse 35.
Same Paul still writing.
00:22:24.67\00:22:28.64
"Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ?"
00:22:28.64\00:22:32.08
Wow. "Shall trouble or hardship
00:22:32.08\00:22:34.48
or persecution or
famine or nakedness or danger
00:22:34.48\00:22:37.09
or sword" or flood?
Nothing can separate us
00:22:37.09\00:22:40.22
from the love of Christ.
00:22:40.22\00:22:42.12
There it is.
Clearly, "the love of God
00:22:42.29\00:22:44.09
the Son." So we
have "the love of God
00:22:44.09\00:22:45.86
the Father," now we have
"the love of God the Son."
00:22:45.86\00:22:48.50
Fill that in, please. And then
drop down same chapter. Scholars
00:22:48.50\00:22:52.70
call this the rarified air of
the summit of the entire Bible.
The summit is right here.
00:22:52.70\00:23:00.31
This is the top. This is
the Mount Everest right here --
00:23:00.31\00:23:03.48
Verse 38... Verse 39.
..."neither height nor depth,
00:23:10.15\00:23:13.32
nor anything else in
all creation, will be able
00:23:13.32\00:23:16.62
to separate us" -- you
and me -- "from the love
00:23:16.62\00:23:19.93
of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:23:19.93\00:23:23.40
Jot it down. So now
we have -- Paul says
00:23:23.40\00:23:25.03
I'm gonna pull both
those loves together.
00:23:25.03\00:23:26.74
Mm-hmm. So we have the love of
00:23:26.74\00:23:28.34
the Father and you have
the love of God the Son.
00:23:28.34\00:23:30.71
"God the Father, God the Son."
Paul, there's somebody else
00:23:30.71\00:23:33.31
left. Ah, he's
moving toward that
00:23:33.31\00:23:35.08
somebody else, and that's
the text that we began with
00:23:35.08\00:23:37.68
a moment ago -- Chapter
15. Read it again -- Verse 30.
00:23:37.68\00:23:42.18
"I urge you, brothers and
sisters" -- "I'm begging you"
00:23:42.18\00:23:44.89
some
translations. "I'm begging you,
00:23:44.89\00:23:46.69
I'm pleading with you,
by our Lord Jesus and by
00:23:46.69\00:23:49.16
the love of the Spirit,
to join me in my struggle
00:23:49.16\00:23:52.19
by praying to God for me."
Would you jot that down, please?
00:23:52.19\00:23:57.53
There's the final piece,
the capstone, "the love of God
00:23:57.53\00:24:02.24
the Holy Spirit."
We have the love of God
00:24:02.24\00:24:04.47
the Father, we have the love
of God the Son, and now we have
00:24:04.47\00:24:06.74
the love of God the Holy Spirit.
00:24:06.74\00:24:08.64
There they are, the three
members of the triune God --
three persons, one God.
00:24:08.81\00:24:14.22
Can I get a little personal with
you right now? I'm gonna tell
00:24:14.22\00:24:18.75
you something I do every now and
then -- every now and a blue
moon when I'm having my own
00:24:18.75\00:24:24.46
prayer beginning of the day.
Sometimes I like to imagine...
that I'm going to, right now,
00:24:24.46\00:24:33.44
step into the Throne Room of the
Universe. Some day I'm planning
00:24:33.44\00:24:38.34
on it. Some day I'm planning
that you do the same. I'm just
00:24:38.34\00:24:42.21
counting on it. But I like to
imagine what that moment would
be like. So I come to this
00:24:42.21\00:24:46.78
massive door, and it says
"Throne Room." Oh, wow. So I
reach up -- little guy
00:24:46.78\00:24:51.12
that I am -- I reach up so they
can hear the knock, and I -- [
Imitating knocking ]
00:24:51.12\00:24:55.26
I knock. The door slowly opens,
and there is this tall being
00:24:55.26\00:25:00.86
lit! And he looks down at
me, and he says, "Hey, Dwight.
00:25:00.86\00:25:05.57
We've been waiting for
you. Come on in." It's Gabriel.
00:25:05.57\00:25:10.21
Gabriel. He says, "Come on.
Follow me. I know why you're
00:25:10.21\00:25:14.21
here," he says. And I'm walking
in just like -- just with this
00:25:14.21\00:25:18.08
awe, this you can't believe it,
the glory, and then I see this
white throne high and lifted up,
00:25:18.08\00:25:23.59
and there's this brilliant
light, and now the light is not
a problem, but it's still
00:25:23.59\00:25:28.86
brilliant, and there's somebody
sitting there, and I don't know
about you, but you know what
00:25:28.86\00:25:34.60
I would do next? I'm just
thinking that probably I'd burst
00:25:34.60\00:25:39.27
into tears. I'm just kind of a
crybaby when I'm with God, and I
would just start crying, and I'd
00:25:39.27\00:25:44.97
be down on the golden floor with
my nose pushed against that gold
00:25:44.97\00:25:51.15
and just sobbing for joy. I
can't believe it. I've dreamed
00:25:51.15\00:25:55.18
of this day. Do you know how
long I've dreamed of this? And
then the being in the high,
00:25:55.18\00:25:59.02
lifted-up white throne speaks
to me as if He were reading my
00:25:59.02\00:26:02.16
heart. He said, "Dwight, you
dreamed of it. Let me tell you
00:26:02.16\00:26:05.09
something. We've been dreaming
of it ever since you were born.
00:26:05.09\00:26:11.10
Welcome." But I'm down there
just sobbing away, and another
person sitting right beside that
00:26:11.10\00:26:16.71
-- obviously God the Father.
This other person comes down to
me, and I feel a warm hand
00:26:16.71\00:26:20.51
on my shoulder, and He taps it,
and I look up, and I recognize
00:26:20.51\00:26:24.51
His face. It's Jesus. And He
just takes me, just pulls me up,
00:26:24.51\00:26:28.88
and He puts me in this strong
embrace, and I'm trying to
breathe, and He said, "Oh,
00:26:28.88\00:26:34.59
Dwight -- my friend
Dwight. Wow. You're here."
00:26:34.59\00:26:40.43
This is what I've lived for. And
then -- Here's the point. And
then I hear a voice.
00:26:40.43\00:26:47.47
I look up to see where the voice
is coming from, and it's
somewhere over here
00:26:47.47\00:26:51.27
near the throne, but -- And the
voice is smiling. Have you
noticed what when you
00:26:51.27\00:26:54.58
call people up on the phone,
sometimes you can tell they're
smiling even though you can't
00:26:54.58\00:26:57.95
see their faces? There's
something in a voice that's
smiling, and the voice
00:26:57.95\00:27:00.95
is smiling, and the voice says,
"Dwight, Dwight, Dwight. It's so
00:27:00.95\00:27:07.06
nice to see you. Do you know
what? Ever since you were born,
this is why I have hung with you
00:27:07.06\00:27:12.59
day and night the entire
journey, just you and Me.
00:27:12.59\00:27:20.54
Welcome home, boy. This is your
home now." Now, why do I tell
you that -- this little bit of
00:27:20.54\00:27:26.17
imagination which you really
can't do? I tell you that to
remind you that there's not just
00:27:26.17\00:27:30.91
two persons in the Throne Room
of the Universe. There's a third
00:27:30.91\00:27:34.85
person, and there's no law in
humanity that says in order for
you to be a real sentient being,
00:27:34.85\00:27:39.02
you have to have physical form
to be a being. That's just our
00:27:39.02\00:27:42.46
very puny human thinking that
says you got to have something
to move -- moving lips
00:27:42.46\00:27:45.86
and all that. You don't have
to have that. He said, "I'm a
00:27:45.86\00:27:50.87
being, and I have love for you.
As if there were nobody else in
this universe, I love you,
00:27:50.87\00:27:57.04
and I want to be your friend."
That's why I'm telling you. The
Third Person of the Godhead
00:27:57.04\00:28:02.81
is just as real as number one
and number two -- same love,
eternal -- same friendship,
00:28:02.81\00:28:09.12
forever. Why are you
telling me all this, Dwight?
00:28:09.12\00:28:13.59
I tell you why I'm telling this
to you. Because I want you --
00:28:13.59\00:28:18.29
I want your heart to long, begin
to long for a friendship with
00:28:18.29\00:28:23.80
the Holy Spirit. You and I have
been -- We've been having a
long, continuing conversation
00:28:23.80\00:28:27.20
going on around here, haven't
we? I want you to become
acquainted and friends with
00:28:27.20\00:28:35.78
the Holy Spirit. I'll tell you
another little secret about my
00:28:35.78\00:28:38.65
praying. I pray out loud.
[ Chuckles ] I pray out loud
00:28:38.65\00:28:41.52
unless there's something I don't
want the Devil to hear, but,
generally, I just pray out loud.
00:28:41.52\00:28:44.92
There's nobody else in the room.
You know when I talk to Him,
00:28:44.92\00:28:48.99
here's what I do. I imagine that
He's right about there in my
prayer closet. I have a certain
00:28:48.99\00:28:53.63
place where I imagine He is.
I see nothing. I know nothing.
00:28:53.63\00:28:59.13
But I sense and I talk to Him.
Now, get this. He talks back to
00:28:59.13\00:29:06.44
me. No, I'm serious. He talks
back to me. It's not an audible
00:29:06.44\00:29:10.35
voice. Karen couldn't be walking
right by say, "Hey, there's two
00:29:10.35\00:29:13.01
people in there. It's only
Dwight. Who's this other
person?" There's nothing anybody
00:29:13.01\00:29:16.15
can hear, but you know what? You
hear Him, and you know the very
00:29:16.15\00:29:24.36
sound of His voice right now.
You know when He is talking to
00:29:24.36\00:29:29.10
you. You recognize that voice.
And one day when you have your
00:29:29.10\00:29:34.04
private audience with the
eternal -- because there'll be
enough time in heaven for
00:29:34.04\00:29:38.21
everybody to have a very
special, alone time with God,
and all three of them, the
00:29:38.21\00:29:45.98
Trinity, they're there. The
moment the voice speaks,
[Scoffs] "That was you?" "That
00:29:45.98\00:29:53.99
was Me." That's why I wish that
your heart would just long for
this baptism of the Holy Spirit.
00:29:53.99\00:29:58.76
We're not just doing this
because there's nothing else to
00:29:58.76\00:30:01.90
talk about. Because this is the
piece that's missing. We've got
00:30:01.90\00:30:06.74
to know Him not as an it, but as
a real, live personal friend...
00:30:06.74\00:30:16.41
every morning. Every morning?
Yeah, why not? Ask Him every
00:30:16.41\00:30:20.65
morning. Is there some sin
with that? Hardly. In fact, R.A.
00:30:20.65\00:30:25.79
Torrey beautifully expresses the
companionship of the Holy
Spirit. This is so choice.
00:30:25.79\00:30:30.53
The whole Study Guide is worth
just this right here. It's one
very long sentence.
00:30:30.53\00:30:34.00
I'm going to put it on the
screen for you. We have to keep
00:30:34.00\00:30:36.70
changing slides to get through
this sentence, but you have it
in your Study Guide.
00:30:36.70\00:30:39.87
"But" -- Torrey writing
-- "But had it not been for
00:30:40.04\00:30:42.30
the love of the
Holy Spirit to me" --
00:30:42.30\00:30:44.07
Okay, so he says,
"Look. I know I got the love of
00:30:44.07\00:30:46.98
the Father, I know I have
the love of the Son, but had it
00:30:46.98\00:30:50.31
not been for the love
of the Holy Spirit to me,
00:30:50.31\00:30:53.11
leading Him to come down
to this world in obedience
00:30:53.11\00:30:55.85
to the Father and the
Son, to seek me out in my lost
00:30:55.85\00:31:00.62
condition, following me day
after day, and week after week,
00:31:00.62\00:31:05.19
and month after month,
following me when I would not
00:31:05.19\00:31:09.03
listen to Him, when
I deliberately turned
00:31:09.03\00:31:15.24
my back upon Him,
when I insulted Him,
00:31:15.24\00:31:18.21
following me into places
where it must have been agony
00:31:18.21\00:31:21.94
for that Holy One to go
--" Dwight, you're going here?
00:31:21.94\00:31:29.82
You're going here? Okay.
00:31:29.82\00:31:38.16
I'm with you.
..."following me into places
00:31:38.16\00:31:45.90
where it must have been
agony for that Holy One to go,
00:31:45.90\00:31:48.80
until at last He succeeded
in bringing me to my senses
00:31:48.80\00:31:52.34
and bringing me to realize
my utterly lost condition,
00:31:52.34\00:31:56.24
and revealing the Lord
Jesus to me as just the Savior
00:31:56.24\00:31:59.21
whom I needed, and He induced
me and He enabled me to receive
00:31:59.21\00:32:02.62
the Lord Jesus as
my Savior and Lord;
00:32:02.62\00:32:04.65
if it had not been for
this patient, long-suffering,
00:32:04.65\00:32:07.69
never-wearying love of
the Spirit of God to me,
00:32:07.69\00:32:10.46
I would be a lost man today."
00:32:10.46\00:32:14.66
That's the truth. You and I
would not be having this
conversation because
00:32:14.83\00:32:19.07
neither one of us would be here
had it not been for the Third
Person of the Godhead
00:32:19.07\00:32:23.04
who has stayed with you every
single day and every single
minute and every single second
00:32:23.04\00:32:27.21
of your life. He has never,
ever left you. And you're here
00:32:27.21\00:32:33.78
because of it. And we act as if
He doesn't exist. What's up with
00:32:33.78\00:32:42.56
that? Wow. Torrey's
right. Absolutely right.
00:32:42.56\00:32:46.80
To the Holy Spirit, we owe
everything just as we do to the
Father and just as we do
00:32:46.80\00:32:51.80
to the Son. I'm telling you
the truth, ladies and gentlemen,
00:32:51.80\00:32:54.50
brothers and sisters. The King
of Hearts is the King of Love
00:32:54.50\00:32:58.11
forever and ever. Amen.
He's the King of Hearts.
00:32:58.11\00:33:02.18
He's the King of Love. All
three. It's no wonder that in
00:33:02.18\00:33:07.95
the middle of this stunning
portrayal of Trinity love, Paul
just slips it in --
00:33:07.95\00:33:12.15
Very clever, Paul. He just slips
it in. He said, "I want to talk
00:33:12.15\00:33:16.93
about your loving now."
Watch this. Go to Chapter 13.
00:33:16.93\00:33:19.56
He just slips this in,
but we catch it. We see it.
00:33:19.56\00:33:22.53
Romans 13. Just turn back a
page from 15, and what's this?
00:33:22.53\00:33:26.87
Verse 8. Paul writes...
00:33:26.87\00:33:29.87
Whoa. What law
you talking about,
00:33:37.11\00:33:38.71
Paul? Why, Verse 9...
00:33:38.71\00:33:40.98
..."and whatever other
commandment there may be,
00:33:44.72\00:33:47.12
they're all summed up in this
one command: 'Love your'" --
00:33:47.12\00:33:49.96
whom? Love your whom?
00:33:49.96\00:33:51.23
Call it out to
me. Love your whom?
00:33:51.23\00:33:53.03
>> Your neighbor.
>> "Love your neighbor.
00:33:53.03\00:33:55.10
Love your neighbor as yourself."
And finally, Verse 10...
00:33:55.10\00:33:59.30
"Love does no
harm to a neighbor."
00:33:59.30\00:34:02.10
No. "Therefore love is
00:34:02.10\00:34:05.01
the fulfillment of the law."
00:34:05.01\00:34:07.24
I'm going to tell you
about a book that's taking
00:34:07.41\00:34:09.91
the scholarly world by
storm. It's a new translation
00:34:09.91\00:34:12.68
of the New Testament. It's
written by David Hartley --
00:34:12.68\00:34:15.35
David Hart -- No,
David Bentley Hart.
00:34:15.35\00:34:18.45
Got it. "A New Testament."
00:34:18.45\00:34:20.92
Critically
acclaimed. I wanted to get it
00:34:20.92\00:34:23.26
for Christmas.
Sold out, sold out.
00:34:23.26\00:34:25.89
It just came out in November.
Sold out, sold out, sold out.
00:34:25.89\00:34:29.46
And the reviews very
critically acclaimed.
00:34:29.46\00:34:32.20
I want you to see how
David Bentley Hart renders
00:34:32.20\00:34:34.30
this line -- Romans 13:10.
In fact, jot it down in your
00:34:34.30\00:34:36.64
Study Guide so you'll
always have his rendition.
00:34:36.64\00:34:39.24
I like this. Romans 13:10 from
00:34:39.41\00:34:42.54
"The New Testament" translated
by David Bentley Hart.
00:34:42.54\00:34:45.28
Here it goes.
"Love does not work evil
00:34:45.28\00:34:47.38
against the neighbor --"
Now, here it comes -- "hence
00:34:47.38\00:34:50.05
love is the full
totality of the Law."
00:34:50.05\00:34:55.56
Now, that's a new way and
that's a fresh way to put it --
00:34:55.56\00:34:57.53
"the full totality of the Law."
That's what love is. Oh, by the
way, love is the full
00:34:57.53\00:35:02.96
totality of the Trinity. That's
who They are. That's why the Law
00:35:02.96\00:35:07.14
is just like Them, because it's
Their Law. "Love is the full
00:35:07.14\00:35:11.74
totality of the Law," the full
totality of the Trinity. So
here's the question.
00:35:11.74\00:35:20.05
What if we -- I'm
talking about you and me now.
00:35:20.05\00:35:23.12
What if we asked the Holy Spirit
to pour out Trinity Love into
our hearts every day
00:35:23.12\00:35:29.32
before we go out into the world?
Every day, just fill me with the
love of the Father.
00:35:29.32\00:35:34.10
Fill me with the love of
the Spirit -- love of the Son,
00:35:34.10\00:35:37.10
rather. Fill me with Your love,
Holy Spirit. What if we asked
00:35:37.10\00:35:40.67
the Holy Spirit specifically,
fill me with the full totality
of Your love, Your grace.
00:35:40.67\00:35:47.51
Fill me -- before going out
every day? Well, I'd be willing
00:35:47.51\00:35:54.18
to do that, Dwight. Well,
I'm telling you, that's all the
00:35:54.18\00:35:57.09
baptism of the Holy Spirit is.
That's what it is. Just fill me
00:35:57.09\00:35:59.49
up. Empty me through the day so
that I have to come back
tomorrow morning, fill me up
00:35:59.49\00:36:03.59
again. Fill me with the
full totality of Your love, Holy
00:36:03.59\00:36:09.06
Spirit. Wow. What if, as a
church, we became known as a
00:36:09.06\00:36:14.30
people who love deeply, who love
boldly, who love radically
around here? We, who are so
00:36:14.30\00:36:19.74
vigorously defending the Fourth
Commandment, what if we decided
00:36:19.74\00:36:23.28
to defend all Ten of the
Commandments, and the full
totality of the Law gets lived
00:36:23.28\00:36:27.48
out in the way we treat our
neighbors? What if that were the
00:36:27.48\00:36:34.66
case? Fill me with the full
totality of the Law. Fill me
with Your love, Trinity.
00:36:34.66\00:36:41.86
I mean, what if people got to
know you and go to know me
because we're out there mingling
00:36:41.86\00:36:46.20
with them, and they start to
say, "I tell you what. These
people there on that
00:36:46.20\00:36:50.11
campus, man, they'll love your
socks off"? Wouldn't it be a
00:36:50.11\00:36:56.14
great -- Wouldn't that be a
great line? "Come to me, and
I'll love your socks off.
00:36:56.14\00:37:00.25
No, I'll come to you and love
your socks off. I'll come to
00:37:00.25\00:37:09.62
where your... once was... and
I'll help scoop up what has to
00:37:09.62\00:37:17.60
be thrown away." "Are you
serious?" "Yeah. No, no kidding.
00:37:17.60\00:37:21.47
No kidding. Let me help
you." "Oh, I just want to go to
00:37:21.47\00:37:27.28
church. I just love
sitting in these very soft pews.
00:37:27.28\00:37:32.25
That's all I need." No, no, no,
no. The full totality of the Law
00:37:32.25\00:37:36.89
is the love of the Trinity. What
if -- What if we were just plain
a-loving people every day?
00:37:36.89\00:37:46.59
No crisis necessary. We're just
plain a-loving people all over
00:37:46.59\00:37:52.10
this county? Loving people in a
genuine "I care for you" sort of
way? Would it make a difference?
00:37:52.10\00:37:56.50
"Would it make a difference?"
Are you asking me that?
00:37:56.50\00:37:59.44
Ellen White 100 years ago
-- put the words on the screen.
00:37:59.61\00:38:02.44
You'll have to fill
it in. Amazing sentence.
00:38:02.44\00:38:04.38
"If we would humble ourselves
before God, and be kind
00:38:04.38\00:38:07.05
and courteous and tenderhearted
and pitiful" -- In other words,
00:38:07.05\00:38:10.52
full of pity -- "there would
be 100 conversions to the truth
00:38:10.52\00:38:14.49
where now there is
only one." Go figure.
00:38:14.49\00:38:17.29
A hundred to one.
00:38:17.29\00:38:18.69
Some kind of hyperbole? Are
you kidding? You know why I know
00:38:18.86\00:38:22.90
it's not hyperbole? Because
when people can feel the love...
00:38:22.90\00:38:30.34
then they seek the truth. If
they can't feel the love -- I'm
00:38:30.34\00:38:35.81
telling you what. If you show up
and say, "I'm loving you right
now, sir. Come on. Come here.
00:38:35.81\00:38:38.81
Let me love you. I'm just loving
you real hard," but they can't
00:38:38.81\00:38:43.32
feel it -- reminds me of Mark
Twain. Mark Twain used to write
about people who are good
00:38:43.32\00:38:47.46
in the worst sense of the word.
Oh, they're so right. They're
00:38:47.46\00:38:53.56
always so right. Tsk, tsk, tsk,
tsk, tsk, tsk. I just don't want
to live next door to them.
00:38:53.56\00:38:59.77
Good in the worst sense of the
word. No, you got to feel the
00:38:59.77\00:39:03.27
love, because if I can't feel
the love, I'm not going to
believe whatever it is
00:39:03.27\00:39:06.17
you believe, because it
obviously has not changed the
00:39:06.17\00:39:10.65
way you live. Can you feel the
love? Do they feel the love when
00:39:10.65\00:39:13.45
I come around? It's like the
little English girl prayed, "Oh,
God, make the bad people good,
00:39:13.45\00:39:17.32
and make the good people nice."
Can they feel the love? Can they
00:39:17.32\00:39:26.66
feel the love? A lot of people
around here are praying for God
to send down the Holy Spirit and
00:39:26.66\00:39:29.96
give us a big, old revival that
can make the cover of Adventist
Review, and then, boom, we'll go
00:39:29.96\00:39:33.37
to heaven. Wrong.
There will be no revival...
00:39:33.37\00:39:37.94
unless there's love. And there
is no love unless they can feel
00:39:37.94\00:39:41.54
the love when you're around,
because if they can't feel the
love when you're around, it
00:39:41.54\00:39:44.55
ain't love. Excuse me. I
got an e-mail from a viewer
00:39:44.55\00:39:46.45
who said, "Quit using that kind
of language. It's bad grammar."
00:39:46.45\00:39:48.85
Okay. It is not love.
If they can't feel it,
00:39:48.85\00:39:54.96
trust me, you may think it's
love, they're saying, "It's not
00:39:54.96\00:39:59.53
love." That's not love. That's
duty. Can they feel the love
00:39:59.53\00:40:06.90
when I walk into a room? Can
they feel the love when you stop
00:40:06.90\00:40:10.87
to gas up your car? Can they
feel the love... at Walmart?
00:40:10.87\00:40:18.05
If they can't feel the love,
why would they want to know the
00:40:18.05\00:40:22.35
truth? You can have your truth.
It doesn't mean a hill of beans
00:40:22.35\00:40:28.26
the way you live. I want to end
with a story, because this story
tells it all. I'm hoping -- I'm
00:40:28.26\00:40:31.99
putting everything in the sermon
on this story. You know,
preachers ought to be
00:40:31.99\00:40:34.66
very careful about doing that,
but I'm putting everything in
the sermon now on this story
00:40:34.66\00:40:38.23
I'm going to read in your
presence, and I'm praying you're
00:40:38.23\00:40:41.04
going to get it. I'm praying
that while you're hearing the
story -- and you're going to
00:40:41.04\00:40:43.91
love the story -- that your mind
is just going like this -- the
Holy Spirit is in your mind
00:40:43.91\00:40:46.61
saying, "Hey, by the way, that's
not just a story, that's why I'm
talking to you, boy, I'm talking
00:40:46.61\00:40:49.58
to you, girl. I need you to live
this way. I need you to live
00:40:49.58\00:40:52.75
this way, okay?" I'm going
to read a story. It's from Bob
00:40:52.75\00:40:56.48
Goff's wonderful book -- Do I
see my friends there? Bob Goff's
00:40:56.48\00:41:02.39
wonderful book "Love Does."
Karen and I have laughed and
cried our way as we read
00:41:02.39\00:41:10.17
the book out loud to each other.
It's a wonderful book -- Bob
00:41:10.17\00:41:15.50
Goff. Friends Dave and Kim
Sherman gave us a copy. [ Scoffs
00:41:15.50\00:41:21.11
] Oh, you got to get a copy.
Anyway, okay, here's the story.
00:41:21.11\00:41:26.82
Here's the story. So this is a
first-person account. He's a
lawyer, by the way.
00:41:26.82\00:41:30.62
Don't let that prejudice you.
"When I was in high school, I
met a guy named Randy."
00:41:30.62\00:41:35.86
I love this. "And Randy had
three things I didn't have --
00:41:35.86\00:41:38.76
a Triumph motorcycle, a beard,
and a girlfriend. It just didn't
00:41:38.76\00:41:42.36
seem fair. I mean, I wanted all
three in ascending order. [
Chuckling ] I asked around
00:41:42.36\00:41:46.10
and found out Randy didn't even
go to that high school. He just
00:41:46.10\00:41:50.04
hung around there. I had heard
about guys like that and figured
I should keep my distance, so I
00:41:50.04\00:41:53.34
did. Later I heard that Randy
was a Christian and worked at an
outfit called Young Life.
00:41:53.34\00:41:57.91
I didn't know much about any of
that stuff, but it helped
explain the beard and made it
00:41:57.91\00:42:02.45
okay that he was hanging out at
the high school, I guess. Randy
never offered me a ride
00:42:02.45\00:42:07.26
on his motorcycle, but he tried
to engage me in discussions of
00:42:07.26\00:42:11.73
Jesus. I kept him at arm's
length, but that didn't seem to
chill his interest in finding
00:42:11.73\00:42:15.30
out who I was and what I was
about. I figured out maybe he
didn't know anyone his own age,
00:42:15.30\00:42:20.74
so we eventually became friends.
I was a lousy student and found
out that I could take a test
00:42:20.74\00:42:26.98
to get a certificate that was
the equivalent to a high school
00:42:26.98\00:42:31.55
diploma. I couldn't figure out
how to sign up for the test,
though, which on reflection was
00:42:31.55\00:42:35.45
a pretty good indicator that I
should stay in high school. My
plan was to move to Yosemite
00:42:35.45\00:42:39.25
and spend my days climbing the
massive granite cliffs. At 6'4"
00:42:39.25\00:42:44.83
and 220 pounds as a high
schooler, I really didn't have a
rock climber's build.
00:42:44.83\00:42:49.56
I wonder what made me think that
there was a rock climber in me?
00:42:49.56\00:42:52.20
You know, when you're in high
school, you don't give much
thought to what you can't do.
00:42:52.20\00:42:55.60
For most people, that gets
learned later, and for still
fewer, it gets unlearned
00:42:55.60\00:42:59.14
for the rest of life. At the
beginning of my junior year, I
00:42:59.14\00:43:03.55
decided it was time to leave
high school and make the move.
I'm going to go to Yosemite.
00:43:03.55\00:43:07.08
I had a down vest, two red
bandanas, a pair of
rock-climbing shoes, $75,
00:43:07.08\00:43:12.19
and a VW Bug." I had one
of those in college myself.
00:43:12.19\00:43:15.56
"But what else did I need?
I'd find work in the valley. I'd
00:43:15.56\00:43:19.03
spend my time off in the
mountains. More out of courtesy
00:43:19.03\00:43:21.96
than anything" -- Now, listen up
-- "I swung by Randy's house
first thing on a Sunday morning
00:43:21.96\00:43:25.87
to say goodbye to let him know
I was leaving. I knocked on the
00:43:25.87\00:43:29.70
door, and after a long couple of
minutes, Randy answered. He was
groggy and bed-headed."
00:43:29.70\00:43:35.94
You ever seen yourself when you
get out of bed -- what your head
00:43:35.94\00:43:39.21
looks like? He was looking like
that. "I had obviously woken
him. I gave him the rundown
00:43:39.21\00:43:42.65
on what I was doing. All the
while, Randy stood patiently in
00:43:42.65\00:43:45.85
the doorway, trying his best to
suppress a puzzled expression.
'You -- You're leaving soon?,'
00:43:45.85\00:43:51.73
he asked when I had finished.
'Yeah, right now, actually,' I
said as I straightened my back
00:43:51.73\00:43:55.60
and barreled my chest to show
I meant business. 'Look, Randy.
00:43:55.60\00:43:58.17
It's time for me to get out
of here. I just came by to thank
00:43:58.17\00:44:00.40
you for hanging out with me and
being a great friend.' Randy
kept his earnest and
00:44:00.40\00:44:03.77
concerned face, but he
didn't say a word. 'Oh, hey,' I
00:44:03.77\00:44:08.68
inserted. 'Will you tell your
girlfriend goodbye for me, too
-- you know, when you see her
00:44:08.68\00:44:13.11
next?' Again, no words from
Randy. He had this weird,
faraway look on his face like he
00:44:13.11\00:44:18.32
was looking right through me. He
snapped back into our
conversation -- 'Hey, Bob.
00:44:18.32\00:44:22.86
Would you wait here for a second
while I check something out?'
00:44:22.86\00:44:30.07
'No sweat, Randy.' I had nothing
but time now. What did I care?
Randy disappeared for a few
00:44:30.07\00:44:33.87
minutes into the house while
I stood awkwardly on his porch
00:44:33.87\00:44:37.87
with my hands shoved in my
pockets. When he came back to
the door, he had a tattered
00:44:37.87\00:44:42.08
backpack hanging over his
shoulder by one frayed strap and
a sleeping bag under his
00:44:42.08\00:44:45.78
other arm. He was focused
and direct, and all he said was
00:44:45.78\00:44:48.65
this, 'Bob, I'm with you.'"
Hmm. "Something in his words
00:44:48.65\00:44:55.42
rang right through me. He didn't
lecture me about how I was
blowing it and throwing
00:44:55.42\00:44:59.53
opportunities away by leaving
high school. He didn't tell me I
00:44:59.53\00:45:02.96
was a fool and that my idea
would fall off the tracks on the
way to the launch pad.
00:45:02.96\00:45:06.17
He didn't tell me that I would
surely crater even if I did
00:45:06.17\00:45:10.31
briefly lift off. He was
resolute, unequivocal, and had
no agenda. He was with me.
00:45:10.31\00:45:17.51
Despite the kind gesture, it was
pretty odd to think he wanted to
00:45:17.51\00:45:22.85
come along. 'Uh, um, s-sure. I
guess,' I said, half-heartedly.
00:45:22.85\00:45:25.99
'You sure?' 'Yeah, Bob.
I'm in. If you wouldn't mind,
00:45:25.99\00:45:30.83
what if I caught a ride
with you?' Randy stood with a
00:45:30.83\00:45:34.96
determined look. 'So, let me get
this straight. You want to drive
00:45:34.96\00:45:39.40
to Yosemite with me right now?'
'Yep, that's right. I can find
00:45:39.40\00:45:43.00
my way back after we've got
there and you have got settled
in.' I'm not sure why I accepted
00:45:43.00\00:45:47.98
Randy's genuine self-invitation.
I guess it's because it caught
me totally off guard.
00:45:47.98\00:45:52.11
No one had ever expressed an
interest in me like that before.
00:45:52.11\00:45:59.35
'Sure,' I stammered as we both
stood awkwardly on his stoop. 'I
guess we should get going
00:45:59.35\00:46:04.93
then.' And with that, Randy
closed the door to his little
00:46:04.93\00:46:07.86
house, and we walked side by
side to my VW Bug. He plopped
00:46:07.86\00:46:10.80
into the passenger seat and
threw his stuff on the top of
mine on the back seat.
00:46:10.80\00:46:13.37
We got up to Yosemite before
nightfall, and it occurred to me
for the first time we had
00:46:13.37\00:46:17.04
no place to stay. We had a
couple of sleeping bags, no
tent, and very little
00:46:17.04\00:46:23.48
money, so we bedded down in an
empty campground. The next
morning, we woke up
00:46:23.48\00:46:28.05
to a chilly, but glorious
morning in Yosemite Valley. To
00:46:28.05\00:46:31.45
the north of us, El Capitan
soared 3,000 feet straight up
like a granite soldier.
00:46:31.45\00:46:35.29
Half Dome dominated the
landscape to the east. These
were my companions now.
00:46:35.29\00:46:39.53
This was my cathedral. I was in
the valley living room of my new
00:46:39.53\00:46:43.83
home. Now it was time to get a
job and settle in. I rolled over
00:46:43.83\00:46:48.57
in my sleeping bag, thinking
about how great it was to have
Randy with me. I was a little
00:46:48.57\00:46:52.01
nervous, but also excited about
my newfound freedom. I was a man
00:46:52.01\00:46:54.61
now. I felt my chin for any
signs of whiskers. Nothing yet,
but I shaved anyway
00:46:54.61\00:46:57.85
just in case. Randy and I dusted
off the stiffness that comes
00:46:57.85\00:47:03.49
from tent camping, and we went
to Camp Curry Company Cafeteria.
I thought I could get a job
00:47:03.49\00:47:08.02
flipping pancakes in the
morning, which would then leave
the rest of the day
00:47:08.02\00:47:10.79
to climb. I finished the
job application in front of the
00:47:10.79\00:47:14.66
manager, handed it to him. He
gave it right back, sternly
shaking his head 'no.'
00:47:14.66\00:47:20.07
He didn't even pretend to be
interested, but I was secretly
thankful he at least humored me
00:47:20.07\00:47:24.27
enough to let me apply. No
matter. Undaunted, I went to one
00:47:24.27\00:47:28.44
of the rock-climbing outfitters
with a storefront in the valley.
I told them I'd do whatever
00:47:28.44\00:47:32.88
they needed. I was sure that
what I lacked in experience, I
00:47:32.88\00:47:37.39
could make up for by what I
lacked in maturity or raw
intelligence. They said they
00:47:37.39\00:47:42.26
didn't have any work for me,
either -- that the jobs were
tight and almost impossible to
00:47:42.26\00:47:45.56
get in the valley. I walked out
of the store discouraged, and I
looked at Randy, who was leaning
00:47:45.56\00:47:51.80
against the VW. Rather than
feeding my discouragement or
00:47:51.80\00:47:55.87
saying, 'I told you so,' Randy
fed my soul with words of truth
00:47:55.87\00:47:59.54
and perspective. 'Bob, you can
do this thing if you want. You
have the stuff it takes
00:47:59.54\00:48:02.78
to pull it off. These guys
don't know what they're missing.
00:48:02.78\00:48:08.18
Let's try a few more places.'
And then just like he had said
the day before on his porch,
00:48:08.18\00:48:12.45
Randy reiterated his statement.
'Either way, Bob, I'm with you.'
His words gave me tremendous
00:48:12.45\00:48:20.36
comfort. I applied at nearly
every business in the valley
00:48:20.36\00:48:23.67
and struck out every time. There
certainly were no jobs available
00:48:23.67\00:48:27.37
and no hope of one opening up
soon. Randy and I headed back to
00:48:27.37\00:48:32.04
the campsite. We sat on the
front bumper of my VW Bug and
leaned back against its flimsy
00:48:32.04\00:48:35.54
and slightly rusted hood
that buckled slightly under our
00:48:35.54\00:48:39.91
weight. The sun was getting
low in the valley again, and the
00:48:39.91\00:48:42.92
granite cliffs I had hopped to
count as neighbors were casting
long, dark shadows on the
00:48:42.92\00:48:46.45
ground, each of the evening
shadows pointing toward the road
exiting the valley.
00:48:46.45\00:48:51.26
I had only a few bucks left
after buying gas, and Randy
offered to spring for dinner,
00:48:51.26\00:48:54.83
and as we walked back out to the
car after eating, I turned to
00:48:54.83\00:48:58.23
Randy, and I said, 'You know,
Randy, you've been great coming
with me and everything, but it
00:48:58.23\00:49:01.64
looks like I'm striking out. I
think what I'll do is head back
and finish up high school.'
00:49:01.64\00:49:06.44
After a short pause, Randy said
again what had become a comfort
00:49:06.44\00:49:10.05
to me throughout the trip --
'Man, whatever you decide, just
know that either way, I'm with
00:49:10.05\00:49:16.22
you, Bob.' Randy had been with
me, and I could tell that he was
with me in spirit as much
00:49:16.22\00:49:19.79
as with me in his presence. He
was committed to me. He believed
00:49:19.79\00:49:22.89
in me. I wasn't a project. I was
his friend. I wondered if maybe
00:49:22.89\00:49:25.59
all Christians operated this
way. I didn't think so, because
most of them I had met until
00:49:25.59\00:49:29.33
that time were kind of wimpy and
seemed to have more opinions
about what or who they were
00:49:29.33\00:49:33.37
against than who they were for.
00:49:33.37\00:49:37.77
Without much more discussion,
Randy and I exchanged
00:49:37.94\00:49:40.71
a silent look and a nod,
which meant we were done.
00:49:40.71\00:49:43.41
Without a word, I hopped in
the driver's seat of the car,
00:49:43.41\00:49:45.98
Randy hopped in the passenger's
seat, and we followed the path
00:49:45.98\00:49:48.72
cast by the long
shadows the day before.
00:49:48.72\00:49:50.62
I was going back. We did not --"
00:49:50.62\00:49:52.05
Now, listen to
this. Here it comes.
00:49:52.05\00:49:53.42
"We did not talk much as we left
Yosemite Valley, or for much
00:49:53.42\00:49:56.62
of the way home for that matter.
A dream of mine had just checked
00:49:56.62\00:50:00.06
into hospice. Randy
was sensitive enough
00:50:00.06\00:50:05.23
to know I needed
some margin to think.
00:50:05.23\00:50:07.90
We drove for five
or six quiet hours.
00:50:07.90\00:50:10.11
Every once in a while,
Randy would check in on me
00:50:10.11\00:50:11.97
in his
confident, upbeat voice --
00:50:11.97\00:50:13.31
'Hey, how you doing, Bob?'
We pulled down some familiar
00:50:13.31\00:50:17.65
streets and into
Randy's driveway.
00:50:17.65\00:50:19.61
There was another car in
the drive next to Randy's that
00:50:19.78\00:50:24.05
looked like his girlfriend's.
She visited often. We walked up
00:50:24.05\00:50:27.46
to the front door, and he opened
it, and I walked in behind Randy
uninvited, but somehow I still
00:50:27.46\00:50:31.03
felt welcome. On the floor,
I noticed a stack of plates and
00:50:31.03\00:50:34.76
some wrapping paper, a coffee
maker, some glasses. On the
00:50:34.76\00:50:38.20
couch, there was a microwave
half in a box. I didn't
understand at first. I mean, had
00:50:38.20\00:50:42.20
Randy just had a birthday, or
was it his girlfriend's? I mean,
00:50:42.20\00:50:45.04
a microwave seemed like a weird
way to celebrate someone's
arrival into the world.
00:50:45.04\00:50:50.78
I knew Randy wasn't
moving because there wouldn't be
00:50:50.78\00:50:54.18
wrapping paper. Then from around
the corner, the other half of
this couple bounded out and
00:50:54.18\00:50:58.19
threw her arms around Randy.
'Welcome home, honey!' Then the
00:50:58.19\00:51:05.13
nickel dropped. I felt both sick
and choked up in an instant. I
realized that these are
00:51:05.13\00:51:08.96
wedding presents on the floor.
Randy and his girlfriend had
just gotten married
00:51:08.96\00:51:13.23
when I knocked on Randy's door
that Sunday morning. But Randy
00:51:13.23\00:51:19.84
didn't see just a high school
kid who had disrupted the
beginning of his marriage.
00:51:19.84\00:51:22.88
He saw a kid who was about
to jump the tracks. Instead of
00:51:22.88\00:51:26.35
spending the early days of his
marriage with his bride, he
spent it with me, sneaking into
00:51:26.35\00:51:29.65
the back of a tent. Why?
It was because Randy loved me.
00:51:29.65\00:51:36.09
That's why. He saw the need,
and he did something about it.
00:51:36.09\00:51:40.50
He didn't just say he was for
me or with me, he was actually
00:51:40.50\00:51:44.67
present with me. What I learned
from Randy changed my view
00:51:44.67\00:51:49.50
permanently about what it meant
to have a friendship with Jesus.
I learned that faith isn't
00:51:49.50\00:51:54.08
about knowing all the right
stuff or all about obeying a
00:51:54.08\00:51:58.98
list of rules. It's something
more -- something more costly
because it involves being
00:51:58.98\00:52:02.55
present and making a sacrifice.
Perhaps that's why Jesus is
sometimes called Emmanuel,
00:52:02.55\00:52:06.62
God with us. I think that's what
God had in mind -- for Jesus to
00:52:06.62\00:52:09.92
be present, to be just with us.
It's also what He had in mind
for us when it comes to other
00:52:09.92\00:52:14.13
people."
00:52:14.13\00:52:15.20
Now, his last
sentence I need you to get.
00:52:15.36\00:52:17.40
It's in your Study Guide,
and it will be on the screen,
00:52:17.40\00:52:19.97
and I'm going to read it
to you. This is his last...
00:52:19.97\00:52:23.37
"It's a love that operates
more like a sign language
00:52:34.88\00:52:37.19
than being spoken
outright." Oh, I like that.
00:52:37.19\00:52:39.39
"It operates
like a sign language.
00:52:39.39\00:52:41.89
What I learned from
Randy about the brand of love
00:52:41.89\00:52:44.66
Jesus offers is that
it's more about presence" --
00:52:44.66\00:52:47.10
Write that in, will you?
"It's more about presence
00:52:47.10\00:52:49.03
than undertaking a project"...
00:52:49.03\00:52:50.93
"What I learned from Randy
reinforced the simple truth
00:52:55.80\00:52:58.77
that continues to weave itself
into the tapestry of every
00:52:58.77\00:53:01.94
great story" -- Write
it down -- "Love does."
00:53:01.94\00:53:07.88
Isn't that good? It's precisely
what Calvary did when God poured
00:53:08.05\00:53:16.73
out His Trinity love on a race
of runaway rebels like you and
00:53:16.73\00:53:23.80
me. Love does. It's what we do.
When every morning we ask the
Holy Spirit, fill me with
00:53:23.80\00:53:29.14
Trinity love today, and then we
go out and do. We don't just go
00:53:29.14\00:53:35.14
out, we go out and do
because love does. Love does.
00:53:35.14\00:53:44.62
The question is, can you feel
the love? No, no, no, no, no.
00:53:44.62\00:53:50.89
That's not the right question.
Can they feel the love? Can
00:53:50.89\00:54:01.77
they? Can you?
00:54:01.77\00:54:06.01
[ "'Tis Love That
Makes Us Happy" plays ]
00:54:06.17\00:54:09.58
[ Congregation sings ]
00:54:19.82\00:54:21.72
[ Congregation sings ]
00:54:33.20\00:54:35.10
[ Congregation sings ]
00:55:00.50\00:55:02.36
[ Congregation sings ]
00:55:14.54\00:55:16.44
[ Congregation sings ]
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[ Congregation sings ]
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Oh, God, You are love -- Trinity
love -- Father, Son, and Holy
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Spirit. Pour out that love into
our hearts as we stand before
You. And not just now, but today
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and today and today. Wherever
You send us, spill Your love out
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of us to a world desperate
for somebody to just show up and
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love me. And now may the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ and the
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love of the Father and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit be
with you all. Amen.
00:57:05.72\00:57:12.09
>> Think of the last time
someone said, "I'm praying
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for you." Didn't
it give you a sense
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of peace and reassurance
that somebody cares for me?
00:57:20.10\00:57:23.04
I know how I feel when I
get an e-mail from one of our
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viewers saying, "Yo, Dwight.
I've been praying for you
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lately." There's
nothing like knowing
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someone is praying for
you. So I want to offer you
00:57:28.98\00:57:31.25
an opportunity to partner
-- let me, let us partner
00:57:31.25\00:57:33.92
with you in prayer. If
you have a special prayer
00:57:33.92\00:57:36.45
request or a praise of
thanksgiving you'd like to share
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with us, I'm inviting you
to contact one of our friendly
00:57:38.99\00:57:41.49
chaplains. It's simple to do.
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You can call our toll-free
number -- 877 -- the two words,
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HIS WILL. 877-HIS-WILL.
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That friendly voice
that answers, you tell him,
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you tell her what your prayer
need is, we'll join with you
00:57:52.17\00:57:55.34
in that petition. May
the God who answers prayer
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journey with you these next
few days until we're right back
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here together again next time.
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¤¤
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¤¤
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