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>> Hey, everyone. My
name is Michelle Odinma, and
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I am a last-year student at the
Andrews Theological Seminary,
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doing an MDIV, and
this is my Faith Story.
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I was raised Seventh-day
Adventist by my
Nigerian-immigrant mother.
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I am the last of four children,
and something that my mom always
instilled in us was faith
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and making sure that Church and
spiritual things were a part of
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our lives. So, I did grow up
having a strong religious
influence, in that respect.
00:10:01.10\00:10:06.77
I think my first commitment
didn't last for a couple of
00:10:06.77\00:10:10.11
reasons. One was my
understanding of perfection and
sanctification and what it means
00:10:10.11\00:10:14.61
to grow in Christ. I was
thinking I needed to be perfect
00:10:14.61\00:10:19.28
and already being a goody
two-shoes, a felt like I had to
turn up the fire on that
00:10:19.28\00:10:23.95
goody-two-shoes-ness, and I
could make any mistakes. And so
that was really -- It was a
00:10:23.95\00:10:30.13
works-based mentality, and it
didn't last. So, that was one
reason. Another reason was just
00:10:30.13\00:10:35.10
the lack of consistency I saw in
other people who called
themselves Christians or
00:10:35.10\00:10:40.44
committed in my home, in Church.
There was just too much not
00:10:40.44\00:10:48.28
meeting the mark. Talking the
talk and not walking the walk,
and so that was disheartening.
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And no mentorship -- no
mentorship. There was no one to
00:10:52.45\00:10:57.12
follow, no one to show me what
it looked like to live as a
Christian and not simply know
00:10:57.12\00:11:02.69
what Christianity was. And
that was -- that really led me
00:11:02.69\00:11:09.66
astray. Lastly, I didn't see
very many happy people. People
00:11:09.66\00:11:15.34
weren't happy. I wasn't happy.
And I was like, "Am I just gonna
join another sad club?"
00:11:15.34\00:11:19.84
[ Laughs ] Why? There's --
There's, you know, other fun,
00:11:19.84\00:11:25.18
happy clubs I could join. There
was no one actually that I could
see living an authentic
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Christian life that I wanted
myself. And I did my own thing.
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I got to college, and I was
free, and I could try what I
wanted to try and do what
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I wanted to do and...live how I
wanted to live, and I did that,
and God miraculously just pulled
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his hand down and yanked me out
of the miry clay. I wound up at
00:11:49.17\00:11:57.25
a conference that changed my
life, and from that day forward,
my trajectory was just...
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Closer to God is the way that I
headed. I started praying about
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what was coming next. "Lord,
I don't know. I don't know where
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to go. I know this isn't it,
though. Where should I go?" And
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so as I'm praying, this thought
comes into my head. What about
the Andrews Theological
00:12:16.20\00:12:21.60
Seminary? I'm like, "Pfft!" [
Laughs ] Right. Having a
Nigerian background
00:12:21.60\00:12:28.28
and being in Michigan, my
understanding of women in
ministry, it was controversial,
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right? And so I looked it up.
I did, but I kind of just put it
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in the back of my head and
left it. Before I came down to
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actually check out the programs,
this crazy thing would happen,
where I would go to Church
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or if there was a devotional
talk at work, at school. Every
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time someone would get up and
preach, my heart would get
heavy, and I would have the
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thought, "You need to be
speaking. You need to be
preaching." And at first, I
00:12:57.51\00:13:01.78
thought it was just kind of this
-- I don't know -- floof. But
because it consistently
00:13:01.78\00:13:06.28
happened for almost six months
or so, I was like, "Okay. I need
to take this seriously.
00:13:06.28\00:13:12.62
This is, like, not a fluke,
right?" After evaluating, I'm
00:13:12.62\00:13:17.49
like, the MDIV fits me like
a puzzle. [ Laughs ] I'm the
00:13:17.49\00:13:23.97
missing piece. So I start my
first semester at Andrews
University, and when I get
00:13:23.97\00:13:30.97
there, the first day in class, I
have this piece, and I'm like,
"I'm supposed to be here."
00:13:30.97\00:13:37.15
My pursuit of knowing God
stopped being this list, this
thing that I had to do,
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into this thing that I
wanted to do. And that was the
00:13:46.99\00:13:52.33
transformative mark -- wanting
to pray, wanting to study my
bible, 'cause I wanted to know
00:13:52.33\00:13:58.47
God, and then I could hear
him talking to me -- not in an
00:13:58.47\00:14:04.37
audible voice, but my heart
would tell me, after spending
time in prayer or devotion,
00:14:04.37\00:14:12.78
there's peace here. And so I
think at the end of the day,
understanding what authentic
00:14:12.78\00:14:22.62
Christianity is and how to live
that by knowing God, that's my
story. [ Chuckles ] That's what
00:14:22.62\00:14:30.10
I discovered. I'm Michelle,
and this is my Faith Story.
00:14:30.10\00:14:33.50
¤¤
00:14:33.54\00:14:39.47
>> Very excited about what we're
about to get into. I want to
00:14:42.24\00:14:45.18
plunge into it, but I want to
pray with you first. Father, you
00:14:45.18\00:14:49.88
are the God of all the children
of the world, Red and Yellow,
Black and White. If we get to
00:14:49.88\00:14:54.56
Heaven and we see You exactly
like we thought You were,
that'll be okay. We'll all grow
00:14:54.56\00:15:01.60
up in you anyway. On this first
Sabbath, just hours into 2021.
infuse these moments with
00:15:01.60\00:15:08.60
a mighty spirit of Christ. Let
our hearts be touched and drawn
00:15:08.60\00:15:12.44
to him. We pray
in his name. Amen.
00:15:12.44\00:15:16.51
I hold in my hands...
Time magazine cover story.
00:15:16.54\00:15:21.52
Can you see it
there? X-ing out 2020.
00:15:21.52\00:15:29.19
Pretty basic graphic.
It's actually an essay written
00:15:29.19\00:15:33.53
by Stephanie
Zacharek. Titled the essay
00:15:33.53\00:15:37.17
"The Worst Year Ever.
Can I get an amen to that?
00:15:37.17\00:15:40.84
[ Chuckles ] Oh, man.
The whole world is talking
00:15:40.84\00:15:43.51
about this. X-ing out 2020.
00:15:43.51\00:15:46.41
So, let's just get the line
or two of her essay. And by the
00:15:46.44\00:15:52.18
way, the editors wanted to make
sure we would not miss the first
line, and so look at that giant
00:15:52.18\00:15:56.18
font. I got to kind of peak at
it here to read it. "This is the
00:15:56.18\00:16:00.09
story of a year you'll never
want to revisit." Okay, I'll buy
00:16:00.09\00:16:05.93
that. She goes on. "There have
been worse years in U.S. history
and certainly worse years in
00:16:05.93\00:16:10.90
world history, but most us alive
today have seen nothing like
this one. You would need to be
00:16:10.90\00:16:18.91
over 100" -- We have 4 members
who are -- "to remember the
devastation of World War I and
00:16:18.91\00:16:24.41
the 1918 flu pandemic. You would
need to be roughly 90 to have a
sense of the economic
00:16:24.41\00:16:29.42
deprivation wrought by the Great
Depression, and in your 80s to
00:16:29.42\00:16:33.92
retain any memory of World War
II and its horrors. The rest of
00:16:33.92\00:16:38.49
us have had no training wheels
for this. I like that. Exactly a
year ago right now,
00:16:38.49\00:16:43.97
we were together. There were
no training wheels given to us.
00:16:43.97\00:16:48.10
We had no idea what was coming
down the pike. You know what we
00:16:48.10\00:16:51.11
were thinking -- we were talking
about? 2020 visions for the New
Year. Yeah, right. [ Chuckles ]
00:16:51.11\00:16:58.11
But this is what's rather
troubling. The truth is nobody's
00:16:58.11\00:17:03.18
given us training wheels for
2021 either. We have no, zero,
nada clue about what's coming.
00:17:03.18\00:17:12.69
X-ing out 2020. Ah, she wraps it
up here -- "The rest of us have
00:17:12.69\00:17:17.67
no training wheels for this, for
the recurrence of natural
disasters that confirm just how
00:17:17.67\00:17:21.34
much we have betrayed nature,
for a virus that originated
possibly with a bat only
00:17:21.34\00:17:28.18
to upend the lives of virtually
everyone on the planet and end
the lives of roughly
00:17:28.18\00:17:34.35
1.5 million people
around the world." Wow!
00:17:34.35\00:17:41.86
We have a phrase in English.
Good riddance for bad rubbish. I
mean, can you really --
00:17:41.86\00:17:51.83
can you -- Look. Can you really
"X" out an entire year, just
00:17:51.83\00:17:57.34
wipe it out? Actually, it turns
out you can. And the secret is
right here. I don't think the
00:17:57.34\00:18:02.74
graphic artist knew what she or
he was doing when the artist
crafted this cover.
00:18:02.74\00:18:09.58
Because if you look at this
cover and the X-ing out, if you
just let this happen
00:18:09.58\00:18:15.09
to the magazine, that "X"
becomes a what? It becomes a
00:18:15.09\00:18:22.56
cross. And that's the truth. The
only way to "X" out your past,
the only way to "X"
00:18:22.56\00:18:27.90
out 2020 is to cross it
out. Wipe it out. "X" it out.
00:18:27.90\00:18:36.21
Only the cross -- Only the cross
can do that, which is precisely
00:18:36.21\00:18:41.88
Peter's point. I want you to
open your bible, please, to that
00:18:41.88\00:18:44.95
stunning moment. We're talking
about Jerusalem, A.D. 31.
00:18:44.95\00:18:50.13
Jerusalem. Acts chapter 2.
Everybody know the story -- the
00:18:50.13\00:18:53.80
day of Pentecost. Peter has
thousands of people. I don't
know 'cause I've been to
00:18:53.80\00:18:57.83
Jerusalem. I don't know how they
got thousands of people in that
00:18:57.83\00:19:00.74
space. They were up and down
every alley. They were out in
00:19:00.74\00:19:03.71
every flat space probably
around the temple. And Peter's
00:19:03.71\00:19:08.54
preaching. Acts chapter 2. We're
gonna drop down to verse 12 and
00:19:08.54\00:19:15.38
pick it up, because somewhere in
these moments ahead, there will
be the secret we're looking for.
00:19:15.38\00:19:23.22
Alright. Let's go to Acts
chapter 2. I'm in the NIV.
00:19:23.22\00:19:26.09
"Fellow Israelites" -- You're
gonna hear the big fisherman
00:19:26.09\00:19:30.00
thundering. Whoa! Way to speak
truth to power. Call a spade a
00:19:49.52\00:19:55.02
spade. Wicked men, Peter? You're
awfully gutsy. "And you with the
00:19:55.02\00:19:59.19
help of wicked men," who were
alive and perhaps listening,
"put him to death by nailing him
00:19:59.19\00:20:05.60
to the cross." The thousands are
cut to the quick. Notice their
00:20:14.51\00:20:18.85
response. Drop down to verse 37.
00:20:18.85\00:20:20.45
And Peter is
ready. Here he goes.
00:20:27.02\00:20:29.29
And do you understand that in
response to that alter call,
over 3,000 people came forward
00:20:40.67\00:20:47.84
and were baptized that very day.
Unbelievable! A few days later,
00:20:47.84\00:20:55.52
Peter has another crowd. It's
just a few days later because
all you have to do is
00:20:55.52\00:20:58.89
just turn the page. Turn the
page to chapter 3. He says,
"Listen, that sermon --
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The lord blessed that sermon. He
anointed it. I'm gonna preach it
00:21:07.96\00:21:10.43
all over again," and he does.
Watch this. This is Acts 3:19.
00:21:10.43\00:21:15.80
There he goes
again with that word.
00:21:15.80\00:21:18.01
There it is, that word again --
repent, repent, repent. You
suppose that's the key?
00:21:42.50\00:21:49.34
Anybody here know how to repent?
I mean, we know it's a big deal.
You know why we know it's a big
00:21:49.34\00:21:55.34
deal? Because when John the
Baptist comes preaching, the
00:21:55.34\00:21:58.11
very first word out of his
ever-preached sermon is the word
repent. And subsequently, the
00:21:58.11\00:22:04.52
Gospels say when Jesus comes
preaching, the very first word
he preaches is repent.
00:22:04.52\00:22:08.36
And subsequently after that,
when Peter preaches twice, the
first word is repent,
00:22:08.36\00:22:12.36
repent. So, what's
happening with this repent?
00:22:12.36\00:22:18.00
I'll tell you what you and I
know about repent. What we know
00:22:18.00\00:22:21.84
about repent is what it isn't.
We had a wonderful family time.
Got to spend some time with
00:22:21.84\00:22:27.34
our two granddaughters. Ella's
7, and Izzy's almost 3, and they
fortunately brought
00:22:27.34\00:22:32.35
along their parents, Kirk and
Chelsea. And so we're sitting
00:22:32.35\00:22:37.85
around, and as families do,
we're reminiscing, talking about
00:22:37.85\00:22:41.46
life and the kids growing up,
and have you noticed this -- To
me, it's the great wonder
00:22:41.46\00:22:45.13
of children. They can be in the
same pod, in the same family,
00:22:45.13\00:22:49.60
but siblings can be so different
from each other. I mean, take
00:22:49.60\00:22:54.87
our two kids. We have Kirk,
and then we have Krissy. When it
00:22:54.87\00:23:02.44
comes to Krissy, I mean, you
could just look sideways at her,
and she'd repent in tears.
00:23:02.44\00:23:07.95
But Kirk... I'm telling you
what, with Kirk, there has to be
00:23:07.95\00:23:12.12
some sort of incentive for him
to repent. I mean, the clearer
the consequences of his misdeed,
00:23:12.12\00:23:16.46
the clearer it became, the more
passionate and pronounced his
sudden repentance on the spot.
00:23:16.46\00:23:22.60
Hey, listen, there isn't a kid
that doesn't know the meaning of
00:23:22.60\00:23:25.43
that. You've done that. And you
know what? Guess what. We do
that as adults, don't we?
00:23:25.43\00:23:31.11
Come on, let's not pick on
the kids. How many times has
00:23:31.11\00:23:34.11
our repentance been based more
on remorse over the consequences
rather than heartfelt sorrow
00:23:34.11\00:23:40.42
over personal sin? Take
the two. Take the two exhibits
00:23:40.42\00:23:48.62
we're gonna examine right now.
Same night, same town -- Both of
00:23:48.62\00:23:55.76
them there. I want you to watch
these two. We're gonna put two
word pictures on the screen.
00:23:55.76\00:23:58.93
Just see what you think. Let's
start of with the first guy.
00:23:58.93\00:24:02.50
His name is Judas. Now, the
moment I say Judas, you have a
picture in your mind.
00:24:02.50\00:24:06.51
In my mind, he's tall. He looks
like the perfect executive, and
00:24:06.51\00:24:11.35
I'm telling -- I'll tell you
what, he is white-collar --
White-collar to the max!
00:24:11.35\00:24:14.85
He's always taking charge,
Judas. Everybody know the story
00:24:14.85\00:24:21.02
of his treacherous betrayal.
Everybody knows the story of
Peter's heinous denial.
00:24:21.02\00:24:26.53
Same town, same night, but
look at the two differences in
00:24:26.53\00:24:33.50
repentance. I'm gonna go to the
classic on the life of Jesus,
"The Desire of Ages."
00:24:33.50\00:24:36.84
Beautiful word pictures. We're
not going to Google. You're
gonna get a picture in
00:24:36.84\00:24:40.01
your mind as you read these
words, and I want you to be
00:24:40.01\00:24:43.51
watching Jesus. Watch Jesus in
both of these word pictures,
'cause it's really --
00:24:43.51\00:24:47.52
the take-home picture is Jesus.
Okay. So let's go to "Desire of
00:24:47.52\00:24:51.95
Ages." Now Judas has just walked
into the council chamber,
stunned everybody as he
00:24:51.95\00:24:57.96
interrupts the proceedings. The
prisoner's bound and gagged.
Judas walks up to Caiaphas
00:24:57.96\00:25:01.80
and hurling at his feet, 30
pieces of silver tinkle all over
the temple's marble floor.
00:25:01.80\00:25:08.57
That's what's just happened. "'I
have sinned,' cried Judas, 'in
that I have betrayed
00:25:08.57\00:25:14.41
the innocent blood'" -- quoting
Matthew 27. "Judas now cast
00:25:14.41\00:25:18.58
himself at the feet of Jesus,
acknowledging Him to be the Son
of God and entreating him,
00:25:18.58\00:25:23.25
begging him, pleading him
to deliver Himself." This was
00:25:23.25\00:25:27.76
supposed to work! I purposely
had you arrested so that, like
Samson, when they came for you,
00:25:27.76\00:25:32.26
you'd just go... And then you'd
become king. Something has gone
00:25:32.26\00:25:36.90
terribly wrong. You're
not supposed to be here. He's
00:25:36.90\00:25:40.40
begging. He's entreating Jesus
to deliver Himself. Now watch
00:25:40.40\00:25:44.57
Jesus. "The Saviour did not
reproach His betrayer." "I knew
00:25:44.57\00:25:49.74
you. I knew you were a --
I knew who you were from the
00:25:49.74\00:25:53.62
beginning." Not a word. He
did not reproach his betrayer.
00:25:53.62\00:25:57.92
Jesus knew that Judas didn't
repent. His confession was
00:25:57.92\00:26:01.82
forced from his guilty soul by
an awful sense of condemnation
and a looking for of judgement.
00:26:01.82\00:26:08.73
But Judas felt no deep,
heartbreaking grief that he had
betrayed the spotless
00:26:08.73\00:26:12.90
Son of God and the he had denied
the Holy One of Israel. Yet,
Jesus spoke no word
00:26:12.90\00:26:19.24
of condemnation. He looked
pityingly upon Judas and he says
00:26:19.24\00:26:26.58
-- and just draws the veil aside
to insert a line of
conversation. And he said to
00:26:26.58\00:26:32.75
Judas, "For this hour
came I into the world."
00:26:32.75\00:26:37.36
So ridden with despair, Judas
goes out... and takes his own
00:26:39.56\00:26:46.87
life. Peter probably should have
gone out and taken his own life,
00:26:46.87\00:26:51.54
as well. But we're gonna watch
the same Jesus with a man who --
There's no white collar.
00:26:51.54\00:26:58.05
Peter doesn't even wear collars.
If he had any collar at all, it
would've been a blue collar.
00:26:58.05\00:27:02.28
Just brash, bold Peter. He -- He
always is confident of being in
00:27:02.28\00:27:09.46
control. Watch this moment.
Keep looking for Jesus but watch
00:27:09.46\00:27:12.46
this. Same book -- "Desire of
Ages." "While the degrading
oaths were fresh upon Peter's
00:27:12.46\00:27:19.27
lips" -- "I never knew that
blankity-blank blank man in all
00:27:19.27\00:27:22.77
my life," turning the air blue
with fisherman obscenities.
"While the degrading oaths were
00:27:22.77\00:27:27.11
fresh upon Peter's lips and
shrill crowing of the cock was
still ringing in his ears,
00:27:27.11\00:27:31.28
the Saviour turned from the
frowning judges and looked full
upon his poor disciple.
00:27:31.28\00:27:38.29
At the same time, Peter's
eyes were drawn to his Master."
00:27:38.29\00:27:41.79
You ever have somebody looking
at you, and you kind of -- it
feels like somebody's looking
00:27:41.79\00:27:46.13
at you? And so Peter turns
his eyes and are drawn to his
00:27:46.13\00:27:51.60
Master. "In that gentle
countenance, he read deep pity
and sorrow, but there was no
00:27:51.60\00:27:58.77
anger there. The sight of
that pale, suffering face, those
00:27:58.77\00:28:04.18
quivering lips, that look of
compassion and forgiveness,
pierced his heart like an arrow.
00:28:04.18\00:28:10.02
Conscience was aroused. Memory
was active. The Saviour's tender
00:28:10.02\00:28:16.02
mercy, his kindness and
long-suffering, his gentleness
and patience towards his erring
00:28:16.02\00:28:22.16
disciples -- all was remembered.
Peter reflected with horror upon
his own ingratitude,
00:28:22.16\00:28:28.17
his falsehood, his perjury. Once
more he looked at the Master and
00:28:28.17\00:28:34.34
saw a sacrilegious hand raised
to smite Him in the face. Unable
00:28:34.34\00:28:39.51
longer to endure the scene, the
rushed, heartbroken, from the
hall. And on the very spot where
00:28:39.51\00:28:45.35
Jesus had poured out his soul in
agony to His Father in
Gethsemane. Peter fell upon his
00:28:45.35\00:28:53.09
face and wished
that he might die.
00:28:53.09\00:28:56.50
Exhibit A. Exhibit B.
00:29:00.47\00:29:02.37
Two classic
examples of repentance.
00:29:02.37\00:29:05.27
One forced with this sense of
remorse and fear of
consequences, the other,
00:29:05.31\00:29:10.11
a genuine sorrow. It breaks his
heart. Repent -- What does it
00:29:10.11\00:29:18.29
mean? This word, this human
word, this personal word, this
intellectual experience,
00:29:18.29\00:29:24.13
this existential word we call
repentance. What does that mean?
00:29:24.13\00:29:29.76
For you and me?
When you and I repent --
00:29:29.76\00:29:33.84
isn't this true? --
we're responding to some sort
00:29:33.87\00:29:36.44
of cognitive awareness
that something is out of sorts
00:29:36.44\00:29:39.44
inside of me right now.
I know something's wrong.
00:29:39.44\00:29:41.94
It may be a
memory that triggers it.
00:29:41.94\00:29:43.95
It may be a word or a
rash of words that triggers it,
00:29:43.95\00:29:46.61
some action I take triggers it,
and always, I have this sense
00:29:46.61\00:29:51.29
that I should not
have done what I did.
00:29:51.29\00:29:54.12
I should not have
spoken what I spoke.
00:29:54.12\00:29:57.53
I should not have reacted the
way I know I did. Now, remember,
00:29:57.56\00:30:05.10
we're going to this word
"repent" because Peter has
spoken it. Let me put that line
00:30:05.10\00:30:11.11
again on the screen for us.
"Repent, then" -- We got it --
"and turn to God so that
00:30:11.11\00:30:16.61
your sins may be wiped out."
There it is. How to "X" out, how
00:30:16.61\00:30:26.96
to wipe out, how to cross out
2020. Repent. Repentance isn't
00:30:26.96\00:30:35.43
about -- Look, folks, it's not
about wiping out future sins.
How can you wipe out sins that
00:30:35.43\00:30:38.10
haven't even been committed? But
repentance can be for sins 30
00:30:38.10\00:30:41.60
seconds ago, three minutes ago,
30 days ago, 30 years ago! That
conscious under the
00:30:41.60\00:30:46.78
direction of the Holy Spirit
suddenly begins to flash red,
and you recall what you had
00:30:46.78\00:30:51.28
hoped you would never remember.
Repent. And Peter calls us to
00:30:51.28\00:31:01.86
repent and then turn to God.
That one line is a reminder that
00:31:01.86\00:31:11.83
every sin, no matter how venial,
how mortal, is a turning away
from God, which means sin is
00:31:11.83\00:31:19.01
a hugely relational word, isn't
it? To the one who has loved me
00:31:19.01\00:31:25.68
more than anyone in the
universe, I have sinned. I have
00:31:25.68\00:31:35.02
turned away. Now, I need to say
when I'm talking about that
flashing red light, sometimes
00:31:35.02\00:31:41.83
that red light flashes by
mistake. It's not the Holy
Spirit flashing the red light.
00:31:41.83\00:31:50.67
Sometimes we flash the red light
ourselves in order to punish
ourselves, in order to somehow
00:31:50.67\00:31:58.51
pay back or pay off the
conviction that we've spent our
lives wrestling over.
00:31:58.51\00:32:07.09
I don't know why that line is
coming to me right now, but some
of you perhaps have
00:32:07.09\00:32:12.26
and overactive red light, the
conscience just is so trigger
00:32:12.26\00:32:18.57
sensitive that it's always going
off. I need to tell you that the
conscious is the instrument
00:32:18.57\00:32:30.08
of the Holy Spirit that speaks
to our souls, but the conscious
must be surrendered to Jesus
00:32:30.08\00:32:34.92
himself. You got to say,
"Jesus, just take my conscious.
00:32:34.92\00:32:37.59
I don't know if this is really a
blinking light or if this is
something I'm doing to myself.
00:32:37.59\00:32:43.26
I need you to take this moment."
Otherwise... You know, I was
00:32:43.26\00:32:49.90
talking to a young man not too
long ago, who had been burdened
and plagued by this flashing
00:32:49.90\00:32:55.57
red light. You don't have to be.
You don't have to be a victim
00:32:55.57\00:32:58.67
of that red light. You can find
the peace. You just ask Jesus.
00:32:58.67\00:33:04.91
Is this you flashing the light?
Or is this me? You'll know
00:33:04.91\00:33:08.58
quick. You'll know quickly. The
fact of the matter is, every sin
00:33:08.58\00:33:16.09
we commit is a personal sin that
turns us away from the one who
00:33:16.09\00:33:22.23
loves us most. So, when Nathan
comes into the throne room --
another throne room --
00:33:22.23\00:33:27.90
with a startling announcement.
"Oh, King, the gig is up. God is
00:33:27.90\00:33:34.74
aware of what you and Bathsheba
have been doing." When David
bursts into tears, as Peter
00:33:34.74\00:33:42.58
burst into tears, when David
begins to sob his contrition in
repentance, he expresses what
00:33:42.58\00:33:48.69
Peter felt in the Garden of
Gethsemane that night. What
David, who composes this
00:33:48.69\00:33:52.66
moving prayer of repentance.
Read it again. If you haven't
00:33:52.66\00:33:56.83
read Psalm 51 in a while, just
take it home this afternoon and
read it. Let your soul bask in
00:33:56.83\00:34:01.24
its good news, but in that
prayer, David has this word.
00:34:01.24\00:34:05.57
"Against You" -- talking about
sin being a relational
proposition. "Against you and
00:34:05.57\00:34:10.75
You only, O God, have I sinned
and done what is evil in Your
sight." All sin is an affront,
00:34:10.75\00:34:20.69
is an attack on the one who
loves us most. "Against You and
00:34:20.69\00:34:25.36
You alone." And by the way, he
didn't say, against Bathsheba
and Bathsheba alone, I have
00:34:25.36\00:34:28.66
sinned. Against Uriah and Uriah
alone, I have sinned. No, no,
00:34:28.66\00:34:32.40
no. Not even against me and
me alone. Against you and you
00:34:32.40\00:34:36.54
alone. That's why I carry in my
wallet a picture of Karen. It is
a very lovely picture
00:34:36.54\00:34:41.88
of Karen, I will be happy to
inform you. I don't carry that
00:34:41.88\00:34:46.92
picture in my wallet so that I
don't forget what she looks
like. I say, "What was that
00:34:46.92\00:34:50.42
again?" No. Do you know why I
carry that picture in my wallet?
00:34:50.42\00:34:54.42
So that I will always be
reminded of the girl who's 24/7
love I live for and reciprocate
00:34:54.42\00:35:01.06
most of all. I carry that
picture in my wallet because
00:35:01.06\00:35:06.23
we're like this. We're like
this. And that picture is a
reminder. A reminder.
00:35:06.23\00:35:15.58
David knew that he and God had
been like this. And now he did
00:35:15.58\00:35:23.25
that. And his heart is broken.
"Against You and You alone, have
00:35:23.25\00:35:30.26
I sinned." Sin is a violation of
my covenant relationship with
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:35:30.26\00:35:33.43
Guess what. Every sin. And if
some of us are thinking, "Well,
you know what? Whew!
00:35:33.43\00:35:36.90
I'm looking back over 2020.
There was not really a big sin
00:35:36.90\00:35:40.74
in my life. The book "Steps to
Christ" said, "Wake up, buddy.
00:35:40.74\00:35:45.07
Yo, girl, wake up! Worse than a
drunkard, worse than alcoholism
is the sin of human pride.
00:35:45.07\00:35:51.58
And if you're looking back over
2020 and you can't see anything,
then that's the sin you've got,
00:35:51.58\00:35:56.08
and it's the worst of all.
Repent! John the Baptist begins
00:35:56.08\00:36:02.82
-- Jesus begins, "Repent!"
Peter comes along in their path,
00:36:02.82\00:36:09.80
"Repent! Repent!" What is it
-- What is up with this thing?
00:36:09.80\00:36:13.64
"Repent!" You want to "X" out...
you want to wipe out... you want
00:36:13.64\00:36:19.97
to cross out 2020 and the record
of your sins? Repent. Just
00:36:19.97\00:36:25.65
repent. I scribbled this down
here in the margin. Repentance
describes a radical
00:36:25.65\00:36:31.15
turning from sin to a new way of
life oriented towards God.
"Against You and You only
00:36:31.15\00:36:42.80
have I sinned." There comes
a moment when you realize that
00:36:42.80\00:36:48.80
this line could be true about
you, too. Hebrews 6:6 describes
people who, "To their loss, they
00:36:48.80\00:36:54.31
are crucifying the Son of God
all over again and subjecting
Him to public disgrace.
00:36:54.31\00:37:03.55
I realize that that sin... has
done that. Re-crucified my Lord
00:37:03.55\00:37:15.53
Jesus. Which is why it's so
critical that the record get
expunged. In fact, this Peter.
00:37:15.53\00:37:20.64
David Bentley Hart comes along
in his acclaimed translation of
00:37:25.71\00:37:32.05
the New Testament, and
he renders it this way.
00:37:32.05\00:37:33.82
Obliterate, wiped away, wiped
out -- Just said they may be
00:37:38.85\00:37:45.69
expunged. Which is why David
prays. Exactly how he prays in
that beautiful Psalm 51 prayer.
00:37:45.69\00:37:50.67
"Hide your face, O God. Hide
your face from my sins, blot out
00:37:50.67\00:37:56.17
all my iniquity." There it is --
just blot it out. "Create in me
a pure heart, O God, and renew a
00:37:56.17\00:38:03.24
steadfast spirit within me."
Blot out all my 2020 sins. 2021
has begun, Dear God.
00:38:03.24\00:38:10.05
I take one more look back, blot
them all out right now and right
00:38:10.05\00:38:17.06
here. David again. "Cleanse me,
and I'll be clean." Speaking of
00:38:21.76\00:38:27.60
the fresh snow we got over
night. "Wash me, and I will be
00:38:27.60\00:38:31.77
whiter than snow." It's the
Gospel. It's the good news of
00:38:31.77\00:38:35.68
the Gospel. "Steps to Christ" --
It has was a beautiful chapter
00:38:35.68\00:38:39.68
on repentance. Read it sometime.
Just the whole chapter is a
00:38:39.68\00:38:43.18
masterpiece. It's closing words
will be our closing words right
now. I want you to read this.
00:38:43.18\00:38:48.36
Again, look for the picture
of Jesus tucked away in these
00:38:48.36\00:38:52.86
sentences. "For if we confess
our sins -- This is 1 John 1:9,
by the way. In fact, you know
00:38:52.86\00:38:58.00
what. We're gonna get to "Steps
to Christ," but... I don't want
00:38:58.00\00:39:01.44
to miss this. Let's read this
out loud together. It's a
beautiful, beautiful
00:39:01.44\00:39:04.07
New Testament promise. "For if
we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to
00:39:04.07\00:39:09.78
forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all
00:39:09.78\00:39:15.12
unrighteousness. I mean, that's
a promise. We confess. That's
what repentance is.
00:39:15.12\00:39:18.45
Turn around! Turn back! I
confess that to you. He not only
00:39:18.45\00:39:22.79
forgives us, but the cleansing
is embedded. Here's "Steps to
Christ" now. "We have been great
00:39:22.79\00:39:32.43
sinners, but Christ died that
we might be forgiven." I put the
00:39:32.43\00:39:37.41
brackets in here. What we've
gathered to celebrate today at
the Lord's Supper. Jesus' death
00:39:37.41\00:39:42.51
and his promise of forgiveness.
The merits of His sacrifice are
sufficient to present
00:39:42.51\00:39:48.02
to the Father in our behalf.
Those to whom He has forgiven
most will love Him most."
00:39:48.02\00:39:54.52
I want to leave
that line right there.
00:39:54.52\00:39:57.36
Some of you are embarrassed
that you've had to keep going
00:39:57.39\00:40:01.16
to Jesus again and
again for the same sin.
00:40:01.16\00:40:04.57
Over and over. It's
almost as if he knows why
00:40:04.57\00:40:08.57
I'm coming. This
little line here has put
00:40:08.57\00:40:13.07
a whole new twist to that
human reality that I struggle
00:40:13.07\00:40:17.91
with. Why do I never seem to get
00:40:17.91\00:40:22.25
the point?
00:40:22.25\00:40:23.65
Why do I keep repeating... what
I know is cutting to his heart.
00:40:23.69\00:40:30.49
Now watch this. "Those to
whom he has forgiven most."
00:40:30.49\00:40:34.36
Forgiven most because you've
been going to him the most.
You've been going back again
00:40:34.36\00:40:37.20
and again and again and again.
"Those to whom he has forgiven
most will love him most" --
00:40:37.20\00:40:41.50
Now, keep reading -- "and will
stand nearest to Him, nearest to
His throne to praise
00:40:41.50\00:40:47.91
Him for His great love and
infinite sacrifice." Why don't
you let that percolate
00:40:47.91\00:40:53.78
in your mind for a moment? "You
know, Dwight... man, I've seen
00:40:53.78\00:41:00.96
you so many times here. Always
asking to be forgiven. Repeat,
00:41:00.96\00:41:07.76
repeat, repeat. Don't ever
regret that you keep going back.
There is never a sin God does
00:41:07.76\00:41:14.44
not forgive -- ever, ever, ever.
And the more times you go back,
the closer it draws you to
00:41:14.44\00:41:22.94
the one you keep turning to. Is
that bad news? No, you just keep
00:41:22.94\00:41:30.45
going back to Jesus. You keep
repenting. You keep confessing.
00:41:30.45\00:41:33.46
You keep receiving his
forgiveness. Those who have gone
00:41:33.46\00:41:38.29
to Him again and again will
stand nearest to His throne to
praise Him for His great love
00:41:38.29\00:41:42.36
and infinite sacrifice. Lookit,
I may be at the very end of that
crowd, but there's some
00:41:42.36\00:41:47.37
of you here right now that are
gonna be standing right beside
00:41:47.37\00:41:52.04
the throne. You'll be there. He
said, "Listen, you might as well
00:41:52.04\00:41:56.04
come up here. You've been here
so many times, girl. Boy, you
have been here so many
00:41:56.04\00:41:59.25
times. Stand right here
by me." Isn't that beautiful?
00:41:59.25\00:42:04.15
That's little steps to Christ
for you. The last paragraph in
00:42:04.15\00:42:07.66
the chapter on repentance -- "It
is when we most fully comprehend
00:42:07.66\00:42:11.49
the love of God that we best
realize the sinfullness of sin."
You want sin to -- to keep --
00:42:11.49\00:42:15.56
to remain sinfullness in y-- to
remain sinful in your mind? Then
just keep brooding.
00:42:15.56\00:42:20.57
Keep contemplating. The love of
God poured out as Ryan just sang
00:42:20.57\00:42:27.74
on Calvary. "Brood on the love
of God" -- I add these words in
brackets -- "and you will
00:42:27.74\00:42:31.45
heighten your sense of sin's
sinfulness." Yep, yep, yep, yep,
yep. Last line -- "And when we
00:42:31.45\00:42:35.28
see the length of the chain that
was let down" for us in this
pandemic pit where we live
00:42:35.28\00:42:41.12
on this Earth. "When we
understand something of the
infinite sacrifice that
00:42:41.12\00:42:46.49
Christ has made in our behalf,
the heart is melted with
tenderness and contrition."
00:42:46.49\00:42:53.30
Oh, my friends, I'm telling you
what. I'm telling you, here it
00:42:53.30\00:42:58.77
is. There is a way. There is a
way to "X" out 2020, and that is
00:42:58.77\00:43:07.68
to let the cross be what crosses
out, what wipes out, what blots
out, what expunges the record
00:43:07.68\00:43:14.89
behind us. That's why the cross
is here. Isn't that beautiful?
00:43:14.89\00:43:23.87
You know what? If this is true
-- and I believe with all of my
00:43:23.87\00:43:28.70
heart it is -- then at the foot
of the cross, we could not be in
a more perfect place this second
00:43:28.70\00:43:34.21
day, in 2021 than right here...
at the foot of Jesus, at the
table of the Lord's
00:43:34.21\00:43:41.65
supper. Oh, Jesus.
00:43:41.65\00:43:46.76
What can we say? Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. You went
00:43:49.46\00:43:57.87
to that tree, you went to that
cross... so that billions, one
day, would find in you the X-ing
00:43:57.87\00:44:11.28
out that we desperately long
for deep within our hearts, our
00:44:11.28\00:44:18.69
minds, our lives. We're at the
right place. This is the perfect
place. And so in these few
00:44:18.69\00:44:24.03
moments we have left, as we take
the emblems that you've give us
00:44:24.03\00:44:28.36
so that we might never forget, O
Jesus, do that divine work, wash
over our souls, our minds,
00:44:28.36\00:44:36.50
our families, wash over our
marriages, wash over our lives.
00:44:36.50\00:44:43.68
Right now, please.
Right here in your name. Amen.
00:44:43.68\00:44:51.32
>> Jesus is in that upper
room. 12 closest friends he has
00:44:54.09\00:45:02.43
are gathered about him.
00:45:02.43\00:45:04.33
It's a large upper room. The
torches are lit. The shadows
dance on the walls,
00:45:04.37\00:45:09.50
and the ceiling, and the floor.
Jesus has on his mind and heart
very much the universal pandemic
00:45:09.50\00:45:16.85
of sin. And he knows
that tomorrow -- because it's
00:45:16.85\00:45:20.68
Thursday night -- he knows that
tomorrow, as he sacrifices his
life unto death, tomorrow will
00:45:20.68\00:45:33.19
be the unleashing of the
answers to a billion prayers for
00:45:33.19\00:45:40.34
repentance. Prayers we prayed
before. Prayers you and I pray
00:45:40.34\00:45:46.51
right now. To help us remember
that moment, Jasmine Fraser is
going to read for us the sacred
00:45:46.51\00:45:52.51
account there in the Gospel of
Matthew. And then Nashonie Chang
is gonna actually put words to
00:45:52.51\00:46:01.89
this prayer for God to
have mercy on us. Listen to both
00:46:01.89\00:46:09.96
words now. >> "As they were
eating, Jesus took some bread
00:46:09.96\00:46:16.37
and blessed it. Then he broke
it in pieces and gave it to the
00:46:16.40\00:46:20.84
disciples, saying, 'Take
this and eat it, for this is my
00:46:20.84\00:46:28.08
body.' Then he took a cup of
wine and gave thanks to God for
it. He gave it to them and said,
00:46:28.12\00:46:36.42
'Each of you drink from it, for
this is my blood, which confirms
00:46:36.42\00:46:43.57
the covenant between God and his
people. It is poured out as a
sacrifice to forgive the sins of
00:46:43.57\00:46:52.44
many. Mark my words -- I will
not drink the wine again until
the day I drink it new
00:46:52.44\00:47:01.02
with you in my
Father's Kingdom.'"
00:47:01.02\00:47:07.09
>> Heavenly Father,
with a broken and contrite
00:47:07.12\00:47:11.19
heart, we stand at the foot
of the cross today, crying out.
00:47:11.19\00:47:18.67
Against You and against You
only we have sinned, O Lord God.
00:47:18.67\00:47:24.24
But we know that Your Word says
that You are able and You are
willing to forgive us.
00:47:24.27\00:47:32.41
So, Father, we come now asking
you to wash us in the bloodshed
00:47:32.41\00:47:39.25
on Calvary's cross. We're coming
to you because we are sorry,
00:47:39.25\00:47:45.43
sorrowful, repentant, O Lord
God, of the sin, knowing that
every sin has nailed Christ to
00:47:45.43\00:47:52.23
the cross one more time afresh.
And, Father, we desire to change
00:47:52.23\00:47:58.47
that. We desire to be forgiven.
Lord, we know Jesus is by your
side and waiting for us,
00:47:58.47\00:48:09.72
never to partake of the wine
until that day when he does anew
00:48:09.72\00:48:17.23
with us. And today, Lord God, as
we've come to partake of the
emblems, the bread representing
00:48:17.23\00:48:26.97
his body, the wine representing
his shed blood, we're asking, O
God, that even as you've
00:48:26.97\00:48:32.31
forgive us that you will bless
the emblems, O Lord God, which
has no powers except
00:48:32.31\00:48:39.65
by Jesus Christ, and, Father, as
we partake today, we're renewing
00:48:39.65\00:48:46.49
our covenant, with you. "X" out
our sins and take us in this new
00:48:46.49\00:48:57.30
covenant today. Lord God, this
is our prayer. In Jesus' name.
00:48:57.30\00:49:03.71
Amen. >> Amen. Thank you,
elders, for that scripture
reading and that prayer.
00:49:03.71\00:49:10.05
Take your little kit. I'm gonna
make sure that everybody on the
00:49:10.05\00:49:13.55
platform has a kit, as well.
Take that kit and begin working
00:49:13.55\00:49:18.72
on the cellophane. There's a
thin cellophane layer on top
that separates the wafer from
00:49:18.72\00:49:27.86
the cup of grape juice. And
so... just work that piece of
plastic. Should come off without
00:49:27.86\00:49:37.14
too much difficulty. Don't do it
quickly or you'll lose the wafer
00:49:37.14\00:49:41.08
under it. It's not a huge wafer,
as you will find out. But you
00:49:41.08\00:49:45.58
know what. We don't need a big
piece. We just need to feel that
on our tongue, and when that
00:49:45.58\00:49:50.59
goes down, we know that we are
partaking of the life and death
and the body of our very best
00:49:50.59\00:49:57.76
friend. Our Saviour. Alright.
00:49:57.76\00:50:03.50
There it is. Jesus turned to the
12 in that torch-lighted upper
00:50:03.50\00:50:10.67
room, and he said to them what
he says to us. I've called you
00:50:10.67\00:50:15.84
friends. You are my friends.
I want you to take this, eat it,
00:50:15.84\00:50:26.19
remember the gift of
my forgiveness on Calvary.
00:50:26.19\00:50:30.79
[ Organ plays ]
00:50:34.50\00:50:39.27
And while the bread was still
in their mouths, Jesus takes the
00:50:49.21\00:50:54.55
cup. This was pre-pandemic
time, and he just passed the cup
00:50:54.55\00:50:58.89
around. And everybody drank out
of it without a worry. We're
gonna get to our cup.
00:50:58.89\00:51:05.46
Turn the point away from you,
just in case it's pressurized,
and you only need to open it
00:51:05.46\00:51:11.27
about halfway. It's just wide
enough for you to be able to
00:51:11.27\00:51:15.44
drink that grape juice. And in
drinking that, consuming it, you
00:51:15.44\00:51:20.11
bring not just the body but the
blood, as it were, of Jesus,
answer to a billion, billion
00:51:20.11\00:51:26.95
prayers for forgiveness. The
prayers of repentance. And Jesus
00:51:26.95\00:51:33.79
says to us, as he said to them,
"Listen, all of you drink from
it. This is my blood shed for
00:51:33.79\00:51:39.89
you. Do this, too,
in remembrance of me."
00:51:39.89\00:51:43.63
[ Organ plays ]
00:51:46.63\00:51:50.41
Ben, thank you for putting the
lid back on that cup. As you
leave today, you'll see
00:52:01.15\00:52:08.36
receptacles that will receive
these. They had two customs at
00:52:08.36\00:52:13.19
the time of Jesus when the
Passover was celebrated. Number
00:52:13.19\00:52:16.16
one, they took up an offering
for the poor, for those in need.
We're gonna do that today.
00:52:16.16\00:52:21.00
The ushers are actually gonna
come by you, and they're gonna
receive, if you would like,
00:52:21.00\00:52:26.68
out of the largesse that God has
given to your heart and life
these last three months.
00:52:26.68\00:52:33.01
You want to give to those
who will be in need, and 2021 is
00:52:33.01\00:52:36.69
going to be as demanding as 2020
was for those in need, for sure.
Thank you for what you place
00:52:36.69\00:52:42.12
in that offering plate. And then
they also sang a hymn. They sang
00:52:42.12\00:52:47.03
the great Passover Hallel. But
we're not gonna sing that. But
there was a hymn that was
00:52:47.03\00:52:50.87
sung for the first time
in history just down here on
00:52:50.87\00:52:55.87
Pokagon Road. It's the beautiful
hymn -- first time sung publicly
-- "The Old Rugged Cross."
00:52:55.87\00:53:00.94
Karen's gonna sing. And if
she sings, hum. If the words are
00:53:00.94\00:53:05.88
familiar to you, go ahead and
just mouth those words, as we
bring to an end this moment with
00:53:05.88\00:53:13.22
Jesus at his table.
00:53:13.22\00:53:15.29
¤¤
00:53:15.32\00:53:18.46
>> ¤ On a hill far away stood an
old rugged cross ¤ ¤ The emblem
00:53:31.44\00:53:43.08
of suffering and shame ¤ ¤ And
I love that old cross where the
00:53:43.08\00:53:55.63
dearest and best ¤ ¤ For a world
of lost sinners was slain ¤ ¤ So
I'll cherish the old
00:53:55.63\00:54:08.71
rugged cross ¤ ¤ Till my
trophies at last I lay down ¤
00:54:08.71\00:54:21.89
¤ I will cling to the old rugged
cross ¤ ¤ And exchange it some
00:54:21.89\00:54:33.87
day for a crown ¤ ¤ Oh, that old
rugged cross, so despised by the
00:54:33.87\00:54:48.88
world ¤ ¤ Has a wondrous
attraction for me ¤ ¤ For the
00:54:48.88\00:55:02.46
dear Lamb of God left His glory
above ¤ ¤ To bear it to dark
Calvary ¤ So I'll cherish the
00:55:02.46\00:55:20.32
old rugged cross ¤ ¤ Till my
trophies at last I lay down ¤
00:55:20.32\00:55:33.66
¤ I will cling to the old rugged
cross ¤ ¤ And exchange it some
00:55:33.66\00:55:46.47
day for a crown ¤ To the
old rugged cross, I will ever be
00:55:46.47\00:56:01.72
true ¤ ¤ Its shame and reproach
gladly bear ¤ ¤ Then He'll call
00:56:01.72\00:56:14.34
me some day to my home far away
¤ ¤ Where His glory forever I'll
00:56:14.34\00:56:28.58
share ¤ ¤ So I'll cherish
the old rugged cross ¤ ¤ Till my
00:56:28.58\00:56:42.06
trophies at last I lay down ¤
¤ I will cling to the old rugged
00:56:42.06\00:56:56.51
cross ¤ ¤ And exchange
it some day for a crown ¤
00:56:56.51\00:57:08.82
>> Think of the last time
someone said, "I'm praying
00:57:11.59\00:57:14.66
for you." Didn't
it give you a sense of
00:57:14.66\00:57:16.40
peace and reassurance
that somebody cares for me?
00:57:16.40\00:57:19.50
I know how I feel when I get an
e-mail from one of our viewers
saying, "Yo, Dwight.
00:57:19.53\00:57:22.64
I've been praying for you
lately." There's nothing like
00:57:22.64\00:57:25.41
knowing someone is praying for
you. So I want to offer you an
opportunity to partner --
00:57:25.41\00:57:29.54
let me, let us
partner with you in prayer.
00:57:29.54\00:57:32.11
If you have a special
prayer request or a praise of
00:57:32.15\00:57:34.12
thanksgiving you'd like to
share with us, I'm inviting you
00:57:34.12\00:57:36.89
to contact one of
our friendly chaplains.
00:57:36.89\00:57:38.99
It's simple to do.
You can call our toll-free
00:57:38.99\00:57:41.09
number -- 877 -- the two
words "HIS WILL," 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:41.09\00:57:45.93
That friendly voice that
answers, you tell him, you tell
00:57:45.93\00:57:49.33
her what your prayer need
is, we'll join with you in that
00:57:49.33\00:57:52.30
petition.
00:57:52.30\00:57:53.77
May the God who answers prayer
journey with you these next few
days until we're right back
00:57:53.80\00:57:57.44
here together again next time.
00:57:57.44\00:58:01.24
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:01.28\00:58:15.36
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:15.36\00:58:29.30