Thank you, each
one, for being here,
00:00:11.81\00:00:13.84
worshiping together.
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It's a beautiful day outside,
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and we're thankful
you're here at Pioneer Memorial.
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We're also thankful for
those that are watching online.
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We're grateful for you being
part of our service, as well.
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As we're turning our
attention to our worship today,
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we're going to read
our call to worship.
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It's going to be on the screen,
so please read your portion
00:00:33.96\00:00:36.97
when prompted by
the words onscreen.
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And it reads, "God created
all that is and blessed it.
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Great is God and
greatly to be praised!
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God entrusted the care of
the world to its creatures.
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Great is God and
greatly to be praised!
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Created in God's image, we
seek to act with God's wisdom.
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Great is God and
greatly to be praised!"
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Let's bow our
heads for our prayer.
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God, we praise You because You
are good and You are gracious.
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God, You deserve all
praise that there is,
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and so we as a
church today we praise You.
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We humbly come before
You, and we praise You.
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We thank You for being
a good and gracious God.
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Today as we worship, we come
before You as a congregation
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and we ask that You accept
our worship and You change us.
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We're here
because we want to connect
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and see a glimpse of You,
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and we know that we'll do
that throughout our service,
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our singing, and
through our sermon today.
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So each element of our worship,
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we're asking that
Your Spirit be divinely,
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intimately connected to.
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We know that
You're already here, Lord,
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but come inside us now.
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Fill us and change us
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so that when we leave this
building, we're not the same.
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We ask this in Your name.
00:02:04.22\00:02:05.72
Amen.
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There's nothing worth more
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That can ever come close
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No thing can compare
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You're our living hope
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Your presence, Lord
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I've tasted and seen
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Of the sweetest of loves
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Where my heart becomes free
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And my shame is undone
00:03:01.81\00:03:04.78
In Your presence, Lord
00:03:07.82\00:03:12.39
Holy Spirit,
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You are welcome here
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Come flood this place
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And fill the atmosphere
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Your glory,
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God, is what our hearts long for
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To be overcome
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by Your Presence, Lord
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Your presence, Lord
00:03:48.56\00:03:52.96
There's nothing worth more
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That will ever come close
00:04:01.87\00:04:05.07
No thing can compare
00:04:05.11\00:04:08.34
You're our living hope
00:04:08.38\00:04:11.31
Your presence, Lord
00:04:14.82\00:04:18.92
I've tasted and seen
00:04:24.59\00:04:27.86
Of the sweetest of loves
00:04:27.90\00:04:31.10
Where my heart becomes free
00:04:31.13\00:04:34.37
And my shame is undone
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In Your Presence, Lord
00:04:40.41\00:04:44.75
Holy Spirit,
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You are welcome here
00:04:51.85\00:04:55.52
Come flood this place
00:04:55.56\00:04:58.06
And fill the atmosphere
00:04:58.09\00:05:02.00
Your glory,
00:05:02.03\00:05:04.17
God, is what our hearts long for
00:05:04.20\00:05:08.10
To be overcome by
Your Presence, Lord
00:05:08.14\00:05:14.11
Your Presence, Lord
00:05:19.85\00:05:24.22
Let us become more aware
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Of Your presence
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Let us experience the glory
00:05:35.46\00:05:39.03
Of Your goodness
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Let us become more aware
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Of Your presence
00:05:45.77\00:05:48.61
Let us experience
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The glory of Your goodness
00:05:51.11\00:05:55.22
Let us become
00:05:55.25\00:05:57.29
More aware of Your presence
00:05:57.32\00:06:01.89
Let us experience
00:06:01.92\00:06:04.29
The glory of Your goodness
00:06:04.33\00:06:08.60
Let us become more aware
00:06:08.63\00:06:12.27
Of Your presence
00:06:12.30\00:06:15.20
Let us experience
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The glory of Your goodness, Lord
00:06:17.77\00:06:23.75
Holy Spirit,
You are welcome here
00:06:28.28\00:06:33.96
Come flood this place
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And fill the atmosphere
00:06:36.56\00:06:40.46
Your glory,
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God, is what our hearts long for
00:06:42.53\00:06:46.50
To be overcome
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By Your Presence, Lord
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Your Presence, Lord
00:06:58.25\00:07:02.98
I love Your voice
00:07:20.44\00:07:25.01
Oh Your mercy never fails me
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All my days
00:07:29.78\00:07:32.25
I've been held in Your hands
00:07:32.28\00:07:36.85
From the moment that I wake up
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Until I lay my head
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Oh, I will sing of
the goodness of God
00:07:44.16\00:07:49.90
All my life You
have been faithful
00:07:53.57\00:07:57.81
All my life You have been so,
00:08:00.84\00:08:04.21
So good
00:08:04.25\00:08:07.78
With every breath that I am able
00:08:07.82\00:08:12.85
Oh, I will sing
00:08:12.89\00:08:15.39
Of the goodness of God
00:08:15.42\00:08:19.06
I love Your voice
00:08:23.83\00:08:28.24
You have led me through the fire
00:08:28.27\00:08:32.74
In darkest night
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You are close like no other
00:08:35.38\00:08:40.05
I've known You as a Father
00:08:40.08\00:08:43.69
I've known You as a Friend
00:08:43.72\00:08:47.12
And I have lived
in the goodness of God
00:08:47.16\00:08:53.13
And all my life
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You have been faithful
00:08:57.97\00:09:03.77
And all my life
You have been so,
00:09:03.81\00:09:07.08
So good
00:09:07.11\00:09:10.68
With every breath that I am able
00:09:10.71\00:09:15.68
Oh, I will sing of
the goodness of God
00:09:15.72\00:09:21.26
Oh, Your goodness
00:09:21.29\00:09:24.43
Your goodness is running after
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It's running after me
00:09:27.56\00:09:31.70
Your goodness is running after
00:09:31.73\00:09:34.54
It's running after me
00:09:34.57\00:09:37.67
With my life laid down
00:09:37.71\00:09:39.37
I'm surrendered now
00:09:39.41\00:09:41.28
I give You everything
00:09:41.31\00:09:45.75
Your goodness is running after
00:09:45.78\00:09:48.72
It's running after me
00:09:48.75\00:09:52.79
Your goodness is running after
00:09:52.82\00:09:55.66
It's running after me
00:09:55.69\00:09:59.93
Your goodness is running after
00:09:59.96\00:10:02.83
It's running after me
00:10:02.86\00:10:05.20
With my life laid down
00:10:05.23\00:10:07.74
I'm surrendered now
00:10:07.77\00:10:09.67
I give You everything
00:10:09.70\00:10:13.94
Your goodness is running after
00:10:13.98\00:10:16.98
It's running after me
00:10:17.01\00:10:20.25
All my life You
have been faithful
00:10:23.39\00:10:27.46
All my life You have been so,
00:10:30.43\00:10:33.83
So good
00:10:33.86\00:10:37.37
With every breath that I am able
00:10:37.40\00:10:42.27
Oh, I will sing
00:10:42.30\00:10:44.81
Of the goodness of God
00:10:44.84\00:10:49.54
Oh, I will sing of
the goodness of God
00:10:49.58\00:10:55.55
Draw me close to You
00:11:30.19\00:11:33.15
Never let me go
00:11:37.49\00:11:41.20
I lay it all down again
00:11:44.73\00:11:48.24
To hear You say
that I'm Your friend
00:11:51.84\00:11:55.88
And You are my desire
00:11:59.18\00:12:02.18
And no one else will do
00:12:06.42\00:12:10.26
'Cause nothing else could take
00:12:13.56\00:12:16.23
Your place
00:12:16.26\00:12:20.60
To feel the
warmth of Your embrace
00:12:20.64\00:12:24.71
And help me find the way
00:12:27.98\00:12:31.58
And bring me back to You
00:12:31.61\00:12:35.58
You're all I want
00:12:41.36\00:12:44.36
And You're all
00:12:48.46\00:12:50.53
I've ever needed
00:12:50.57\00:12:55.84
You're all I want
00:12:55.87\00:12:58.84
Help me know You are near
00:13:02.61\00:13:06.95
And draw me close to You
00:13:11.02\00:13:14.72
Never let me go
00:13:18.16\00:13:22.10
I lay it all down again
00:13:25.13\00:13:28.14
To hear You say
00:13:32.07\00:13:33.88
That I'm Your friend
00:13:33.91\00:13:39.28
And You are my desire
00:13:39.31\00:13:43.02
No one else will do
00:13:46.42\00:13:50.59
'Cause nothing else could take
00:13:53.19\00:13:55.66
Your place
00:13:55.70\00:14:00.20
To feel the
warmth of Your embrace
00:14:00.24\00:14:07.18
And help me find the way
00:14:07.21\00:14:11.21
Bring me back to You
00:14:11.25\00:14:16.42
Bring me back to You
00:14:16.45\00:14:20.72
You're all I want
00:14:20.76\00:14:23.73
You're all
00:14:27.53\00:14:29.26
I've ever needed
00:14:29.30\00:14:34.30
You're all I want
00:14:34.34\00:14:37.31
Help me know You are near
00:14:40.74\00:14:47.72
You're all I want
00:14:47.75\00:14:51.02
You're all
00:14:54.59\00:14:56.42
I've ever needed
00:14:56.46\00:15:01.23
You're all I want
00:15:01.26\00:15:04.23
Help me know You are near
00:15:07.64\00:15:14.64
Help me know You are near
00:15:14.68\00:15:20.82
You took a stone to kill a giant
00:15:43.97\00:15:48.11
Took a staff to part the sea
00:15:48.14\00:15:52.25
And only You could do so much
00:15:52.28\00:15:56.22
With ordinary things
00:15:56.25\00:15:59.75
You took a slave to tame a lion
00:15:59.79\00:16:03.73
Took a rock to make a spring
00:16:03.76\00:16:07.86
And only You would
choose a shepherd boy
00:16:07.90\00:16:12.60
To be a king
00:16:12.63\00:16:16.87
So I don't have to be
00:16:16.91\00:16:21.24
The strongest
00:16:21.28\00:16:25.28
'Cause You are perfect
00:16:25.31\00:16:28.35
In my weakness
00:16:28.38\00:16:32.89
If You can move a mountain
00:16:32.92\00:16:36.69
With faith like a grain
00:16:36.73\00:16:39.36
Of mustard seed
00:16:39.39\00:16:43.47
I wonder what
You could do with me
00:16:43.50\00:16:49.47
You're the God of all creation
00:16:55.54\00:16:59.38
You're the king above all kings
00:16:59.41\00:17:03.49
And only You would
choose a rugged cross
00:17:03.52\00:17:08.19
To rescue me
00:17:08.22\00:17:10.76
You're the healer of the broken
00:17:10.79\00:17:14.80
By faith, I still believe
00:17:14.83\00:17:18.53
You took on flesh
00:17:18.57\00:17:20.30
You conquered death
00:17:20.34\00:17:22.40
Lord, You are my victory
00:17:22.44\00:17:25.94
So I don't have to be
00:17:25.97\00:17:29.44
The strongest
00:17:29.48\00:17:33.52
'Cause You are perfect
00:17:33.55\00:17:36.45
In my weakness
00:17:36.48\00:17:41.06
If You can move a mountain
00:17:41.09\00:17:44.76
With faith like a grain
00:17:44.79\00:17:47.60
Of mustard seed
00:17:47.63\00:17:51.67
I wonder what
You could do with me
00:17:51.70\00:17:57.51
Open my eyes
00:17:57.54\00:18:00.51
And show me
00:18:04.81\00:18:07.42
Who I could be
00:18:07.45\00:18:10.85
Lord, help me
00:18:10.89\00:18:13.56
See
00:18:13.59\00:18:17.39
That I, I don't have to be
00:18:17.43\00:18:20.96
The strongest
00:18:21.00\00:18:24.93
'Cause You are perfect
00:18:24.97\00:18:27.84
In my weakness
00:18:27.87\00:18:31.97
Lord, if You can move a mountain
00:18:32.01\00:18:36.14
With faith
00:18:36.18\00:18:37.51
Like a grain of mustard seed
00:18:37.55\00:18:43.15
I wonder what
00:18:43.18\00:18:45.25
You could do with me
00:18:45.29\00:18:51.26
"If someone else
thinks they have reasons
00:19:09.68\00:19:11.88
to put confidence in
the flesh, I have more.
00:19:11.91\00:19:17.22
I was circumcised
on the eighth day,
00:19:17.25\00:19:20.12
I was of the People of Israel,
00:19:20.16\00:19:22.72
I was of the tribe of Benjamin,
00:19:22.76\00:19:26.29
I considered myself
a Hebrew of Hebrews.
00:19:26.33\00:19:31.80
In regard to the law,
00:19:31.83\00:19:34.04
I was a Pharisee.
00:19:34.07\00:19:38.07
As for zeal, I
Persecuted the Church,
00:19:38.11\00:19:43.68
and as for Righteousness based
on the law, I was faultless."
00:19:43.71\00:19:49.22
Oh, God, we
didn't come to this place
00:20:03.87\00:20:06.63
to be drawn close to somebody.
00:20:06.67\00:20:10.94
We have come into this sanctuary
00:20:10.97\00:20:12.74
to be drawn close to
the God of the universe.
00:20:12.77\00:20:16.81
You called us here.
00:20:16.85\00:20:18.61
We have obeyed.
00:20:18.65\00:20:20.25
Speak to us now
through Holy Scripture
00:20:20.28\00:20:23.25
and let it be clear.
00:20:23.28\00:20:25.19
We pray in Jesus' name.
00:20:25.22\00:20:27.72
Amen.
00:20:27.76\00:20:30.83
How to become an influencer?
00:20:30.86\00:20:35.76
Because let's be honest,
00:20:38.87\00:20:41.74
there isn't a one of
us in this space right now
00:20:41.77\00:20:44.97
that does not want
to be an influencer.
00:20:45.01\00:20:47.84
In fact, we do this secretly.
00:20:47.88\00:20:49.21
We don't tell anybody about it.
00:20:49.24\00:20:50.75
But every time we post
00:20:50.78\00:20:54.22
on our social media platform
00:20:54.25\00:20:58.62
TikTok,
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook,
00:20:58.65\00:21:03.26
Snapchat, YouTube.
00:21:03.29\00:21:08.00
Every time we post, shh!
00:21:08.03\00:21:10.73
We are hoping that this post
00:21:10.77\00:21:14.20
will be the one that goes viral.
00:21:14.24\00:21:17.57
And overnight, we shall become
00:21:17.61\00:21:19.77
world-renowned influencers.
00:21:19.81\00:21:23.95
Am the only guy that hopes that?
00:21:23.98\00:21:28.08
I'm telling you what when
you talk social media today,
00:21:28.12\00:21:30.35
I mean, social media is abuzz
with this idea of influencer.
00:21:30.39\00:21:33.89
You know why?
00:21:33.92\00:21:35.26
Because there are
people on social media
00:21:35.29\00:21:36.86
that have beaucoup followers.
00:21:36.89\00:21:39.29
That's why.
00:21:39.33\00:21:40.66
In fact, I'm gonna
give them to you right now.
00:21:40.70\00:21:42.93
The number one
social media followed person
00:21:42.96\00:21:48.70
on the planet right now.
00:21:48.74\00:21:51.81
Do you know who that is?
00:21:51.84\00:21:53.61
Ohh, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch.
00:21:53.64\00:21:55.61
I'm telling you who it is.
00:21:55.64\00:21:58.18
We're talking
about the 36-year-old
00:21:58.21\00:21:59.98
Portuguese superstar footballer
00:22:00.02\00:22:02.22
or soccer star
Cristiano Ronaldo.
00:22:02.25\00:22:07.29
Somebody
clapped, so somebody knew.
00:22:07.32\00:22:10.79
I'm telling you.
00:22:10.83\00:22:12.16
Listen to this, 516
million human beings follow him
00:22:12.19\00:22:17.27
on every social
platform he's on.
00:22:17.30\00:22:19.70
He is number one in Instagram.
00:22:19.73\00:22:21.80
He is number one in Facebook.
00:22:21.84\00:22:24.01
He's number on the planet.
00:22:24.04\00:22:27.21
Influencer.
00:22:27.24\00:22:29.34
Hey, but I don't want
to leave the balcony out,
00:22:29.38\00:22:30.98
so I'm talking to all
you guys in the balcony.
00:22:31.01\00:22:32.75
The number one, listen to this.
00:22:32.78\00:22:34.65
The number one TikTok influencer
00:22:34.68\00:22:39.35
right now is a
17-year-old teenage girl.
00:22:39.39\00:22:44.59
Do you know her name?
00:22:44.63\00:22:45.99
Mm-hmm.
00:22:46.03\00:22:47.36
Charli D'Amelio.
00:22:47.40\00:22:50.87
She has, hold on to
your pew, one 17 years old,
00:22:50.90\00:22:55.07
she has 123.2 million
people who follow her.
00:22:55.10\00:22:59.47
My, oh, my.
00:22:59.51\00:23:01.24
And lest you think that
only the young get followers,
00:23:01.28\00:23:04.35
I am happy to
announce that's not true.
00:23:04.38\00:23:08.25
The number one...
00:23:08.28\00:23:09.62
The number one
Twitter influencer,
00:23:09.65\00:23:13.22
who has more followers than any
other human being on Twitter,
00:23:13.25\00:23:18.03
who is 60 years old
00:23:18.06\00:23:21.26
and who has 129.9
million followers...
00:23:21.30\00:23:26.13
is Barack Obama.
00:23:29.40\00:23:32.64
So what does this word
"influencer" mean, okay?
00:23:32.67\00:23:35.11
Let's just find out.
00:23:35.14\00:23:36.48
Influencer, let's put
it on the screen right now.
00:23:36.51\00:23:38.81
"An influencer is
someone who has the influence,
00:23:38.85\00:23:42.32
the authority over or trust
of, a certain group of people."
00:23:42.35\00:23:46.92
Mm-hmm.
00:23:46.96\00:23:48.29
"In marketing parlance," Okay?
00:23:48.32\00:23:49.79
So the head
honchos in marketing,
00:23:49.82\00:23:52.13
they're talking this way.
00:23:52.16\00:23:54.16
"An influencer is someone who
causes others to make specific
00:23:54.20\00:23:58.57
consumer decisions."
00:23:58.60\00:24:01.90
You ever heard of
the Kardashian sisters?
00:24:01.94\00:24:05.44
Oh, boy.
00:24:05.47\00:24:07.74
You ever heard of LeBron James?
00:24:07.78\00:24:10.18
You ever heard of Aaron Rodgers?
00:24:10.21\00:24:12.75
Why they always
showing up in commercials?
00:24:12.78\00:24:15.02
Because they have a following.
00:24:15.05\00:24:18.75
Put your money
with the influencer.
00:24:18.79\00:24:23.09
Wow!
00:24:23.12\00:24:24.46
Are you an influencer?
00:24:24.49\00:24:26.56
Have you appeared
in a single commercial?
00:24:26.59\00:24:30.07
Me neither.
00:24:30.10\00:24:32.33
But I got great news for you.
00:24:32.37\00:24:34.84
Over the next few days,
00:24:34.87\00:24:38.14
you and I are
gonna share some secrets
00:24:38.17\00:24:40.84
about how to
become an influencer
00:24:40.88\00:24:43.75
that potentially will enable
you to have more influence
00:24:43.78\00:24:47.18
than any of the three
names I have just mentioned.
00:24:47.22\00:24:51.85
I'm gonna share some secrets.
00:24:51.89\00:24:53.92
And we're starting right
now with secret number one.
00:24:53.96\00:24:56.83
Write it down in your mind.
00:24:56.86\00:24:58.89
Secret number
one, you must learn
00:24:58.93\00:25:01.83
how to live in
the "white space."
00:25:01.86\00:25:05.20
You say, "Yo, Dwight,
what's this white space stuff?"
00:25:05.23\00:25:07.40
Well, let me show you.
00:25:07.44\00:25:08.97
In fact, did you bring a Bible?
00:25:09.00\00:25:10.34
'Cause it will really work well
00:25:10.37\00:25:11.71
if you have your Bible with you.
00:25:11.74\00:25:13.07
Open your Bible.
00:25:13.11\00:25:14.44
You got your
Bible on your device?
00:25:14.48\00:25:15.81
That's fine. It'll work there.
00:25:15.84\00:25:17.81
I want you to find
the Book of Genesis.
00:25:17.85\00:25:19.28
Come on. Everybody knows
the first book of the Bible.
00:25:19.31\00:25:21.48
Find the Book of Genesis.
00:25:21.52\00:25:22.85
I'll do the same.
Genesis Chapter 16.
00:25:22.88\00:25:25.32
And I want you to drop down
00:25:25.35\00:25:26.69
to the very last
verse of Genesis 16, okay?
00:25:26.72\00:25:29.76
Genesis 16.
00:25:29.79\00:25:31.13
You're gonna see
00:25:31.16\00:25:32.49
what in the world
is this white space?
00:25:32.53\00:25:33.86
Genesis 16.
00:25:33.90\00:25:35.23
I'll get there.
00:25:35.26\00:25:36.60
Here it is.
00:25:36.63\00:25:37.97
All right, Genesis 16:16,
00:25:38.00\00:25:42.17
16:16, "Abram was 86 years old
00:25:42.20\00:25:46.61
when Hagar bore him Ishmael."
00:25:46.64\00:25:51.35
Now I want you to
tell you something.
00:25:51.38\00:25:52.71
Abram was how old?
00:25:55.72\00:25:59.12
How old was Abram?
00:26:03.69\00:26:05.93
Hey, listen, this is
the tail end of a sad tale
00:26:05.96\00:26:09.80
because Sarah
is unable to con...
00:26:09.83\00:26:11.83
"Sarai at the time was
unable to conceive a baby.
00:26:11.87\00:26:15.00
And she goes to her
husband, and she says,
00:26:15.04\00:26:16.91
"Look, it is done in this land.
00:26:16.94\00:26:19.01
I have my Egyptian
slave girl named Hagar.
00:26:19.04\00:26:21.21
You go to bed with her.
00:26:21.24\00:26:22.81
She'll have a baby.
00:26:22.84\00:26:24.18
I'll call it mine, and
we'll call it a done deal."
00:26:24.21\00:26:27.85
Abraham says, "You know what?
00:26:27.88\00:26:29.22
That's not a bad idea."
00:26:29.25\00:26:31.25
And he does it.
00:26:31.29\00:26:33.52
That's what happens.
00:26:33.56\00:26:35.36
That's what happens
00:26:35.39\00:26:36.93
in Genesis 16:16.
00:26:36.96\00:26:42.36
Bad, bad decision.
00:26:42.40\00:26:46.23
God who had been setting
him up "No, no, no, no, no, no.
00:26:46.27\00:26:49.00
Your Abram and Sarai, your
children will be the faithful
00:26:49.04\00:26:54.58
that I will establish
all grow all over the earth."
00:26:54.61\00:27:00.55
Okay? So, here's your Bible.
00:27:00.58\00:27:03.32
Right here is
what's called white space
00:27:03.35\00:27:05.69
because the next
verse is Genesis 17:1.
00:27:05.72\00:27:08.76
You can check it out in
your Bible, Genesis 17:1.
00:27:08.79\00:27:11.19
And how does it read?
00:27:11.23\00:27:12.56
"When Abram was 99 years old,
00:27:12.59\00:27:15.56
the Lord appeared to him
and said, "I am Almighty God.
00:27:15.60\00:27:19.37
I am El Shaddai, God Almighty."
00:27:19.40\00:27:21.84
Ladies and gentlemen,
here's white space, right?
00:27:21.87\00:27:24.31
We'll just call
this the white space.
00:27:24.34\00:27:26.81
How many years
from here to here?
00:27:26.84\00:27:28.31
Come on. You're...
00:27:28.34\00:27:29.68
You do numbers
well. How many years?
00:27:29.71\00:27:31.91
Thirteen years,
13 years of humdrum,
00:27:31.95\00:27:37.85
everyday life during which God
keeps working on their hearts,
00:27:37.89\00:27:40.92
their minds,
quietly, persistently.
00:27:40.96\00:27:42.76
He detours His plan
because of them to ready them
00:27:42.79\00:27:45.43
for His calendar and His
next steps in their life.
00:27:45.46\00:27:48.03
This, my friends, is
what's called the white space.
00:27:48.06\00:27:52.80
White space means
no superstar status,
00:27:52.83\00:27:55.64
no superstar stuff,
no grand accomplishment,
00:27:55.67\00:27:59.37
no grand
vision, no stage lights.
00:27:59.41\00:28:02.34
You're in the dark.
00:28:02.38\00:28:03.75
Just white space
where life goes on.
00:28:03.78\00:28:07.12
Some of you are in white
space right now and you know it.
00:28:07.15\00:28:12.92
White space.
00:28:12.95\00:28:14.96
You may be terribly
frustrated with your life.
00:28:14.99\00:28:16.96
All those big dreams that you
had what has happened to them?
00:28:16.99\00:28:20.50
Zero, nada, nothing!
00:28:20.53\00:28:22.73
It's called the white space.
00:28:22.76\00:28:24.80
And by the way, it happens
over and over in Scripture.
00:28:24.83\00:28:27.30
In fact, it is
hardly profound to conclude
00:28:27.34\00:28:31.84
that when nearly
every single person,
00:28:31.87\00:28:33.44
I'm talking
about the superheroes
00:28:33.48\00:28:34.81
in the Bible's hall-of-fame,
Hall of Faith chapter,
00:28:34.84\00:28:37.31
there are huge...
Every single one of them.
00:28:37.35\00:28:39.25
Huge tracks of white
space in their lives.
00:28:39.28\00:28:44.52
How about the
young slave Joseph?
00:28:44.55\00:28:46.72
He wasn't born a slave.
00:28:46.76\00:28:50.23
He was sold, 17 years of
age, by his stepbrothers,
00:28:50.26\00:28:55.13
jealous as they were,
sold to the Ishmaelites.
00:28:55.16\00:28:58.63
Joseph.
00:28:58.67\00:29:00.57
Age of 17, he's sold as a slave.
00:29:00.60\00:29:02.47
He is in a box of
white space for 13 years,
00:29:02.50\00:29:06.78
and sometimes you get white
space inside of white space
00:29:06.81\00:29:10.75
because along the
way, on trumped-up charges,
00:29:10.78\00:29:12.81
by the way, he is
thrown in a pit in Egypt,
00:29:12.85\00:29:16.28
Potiphar's command.
00:29:16.32\00:29:18.79
He's in jail.
00:29:18.82\00:29:20.62
When Chapter 40
ends, he's still in jail.
00:29:20.66\00:29:23.56
When Chapter 41
begins, he's still in jail.
00:29:23.59\00:29:26.59
When two full years had
passed, Pharaoh has a dream.
00:29:26.63\00:29:32.57
My, oh, my.
00:29:32.60\00:29:34.97
Just when Joseph is
absolutely convinced
00:29:35.00\00:29:37.47
that those boyhood dreams
that he's gonna be somebody
00:29:37.51\00:29:39.67
that will lead his
clan, his tribe have vanished.
00:29:39.71\00:29:43.95
Boom!
00:29:43.98\00:29:45.31
Pharaoh has a dream.
00:29:45.35\00:29:46.68
Because the God, the mysterious
God behind the white space,
00:29:46.72\00:29:51.29
is setting life up.
00:29:51.32\00:29:54.39
And in that two-year
white space within white space,
00:29:54.42\00:29:59.29
that boy is elevated to
prime minister of Egypt.
00:29:59.33\00:30:02.43
Now white space.
00:30:02.46\00:30:04.87
I've come to the
conclusion that anybody
00:30:04.90\00:30:06.94
who is a friend of God's
00:30:06.97\00:30:09.34
lives with white space.
00:30:09.37\00:30:11.24
Take the hero...
00:30:11.27\00:30:12.61
No.
00:30:12.64\00:30:13.98
Take the white
space of all white space.
00:30:14.01\00:30:15.34
Let's talk about
Moses, the prince of Egypt.
00:30:15.38\00:30:18.71
The Book of Exodus, Chapter 2.
00:30:18.75\00:30:21.68
The chapter comes to an
end speaking about Moses
00:30:21.72\00:30:23.92
with these words
"Zipporah" that's his wife
00:30:23.95\00:30:25.82
"gave birth to a son,
and Moses named him Gershom,"
00:30:25.85\00:30:28.76
because I'm in a land far away
00:30:28.79\00:30:32.59
from where I was
supposed to lead God's people.
00:30:32.63\00:30:36.50
I want to show you something.
00:30:36.53\00:30:38.03
From this verse here to
this verse here because here,
00:30:38.07\00:30:42.54
"Now Moses was tending the flock
00:30:42.57\00:30:44.01
of his father-in-law Jethro,"
and there is a burning bush.
00:30:44.04\00:30:49.18
From here to here, guess what?
00:30:49.21\00:30:51.95
That's white space.
00:30:51.98\00:30:53.31
Do you know how many
years are from here to here?
00:30:53.35\00:30:55.32
Forty years, 40
years of white space.
00:30:55.35\00:31:00.19
This boy is in Egypt
with the finest universities,
00:31:00.22\00:31:05.33
the hottest culture,
00:31:05.36\00:31:06.93
the greatest
religions on the planet.
00:31:06.96\00:31:09.03
For 40 years, it has filled him.
00:31:09.06\00:31:11.70
And God comes
along when he decides
00:31:11.73\00:31:13.70
to take his own
leadership into his own hands
00:31:13.74\00:31:16.77
and says, "I'll
accelerate my leadership."
00:31:16.81\00:31:20.04
And he kills a
guy, and it's over.
00:31:20.08\00:31:23.24
Took God 40 years
of white space to undo
00:31:23.28\00:31:26.11
all the damage of
the 40 years before.
00:31:26.15\00:31:29.45
And when God finally
comes to him, by the way,
00:31:29.48\00:31:31.25
he says, "You got the wrong guy.
00:31:31.29\00:31:32.79
I'm not the
leader I thought I was."
00:31:32.82\00:31:35.59
White space.
00:31:35.62\00:31:37.96
Ah, mercies.
00:31:37.99\00:31:39.46
Some of you right now, by
the way, are in white space.
00:31:39.49\00:31:43.93
You're a brand-new
student at this university,
00:31:43.97\00:31:46.60
fine university that it is,
00:31:46.63\00:31:48.77
and we're delighted to have you.
00:31:48.80\00:31:50.37
We enjoyed an
evening together last night.
00:31:50.41\00:31:53.07
You may have been king of
the hill in your high school
00:31:53.11\00:31:55.48
where you graduated from,
you made out of your academy.
00:31:55.51\00:31:59.05
But whatever you were before,
00:31:59.08\00:32:01.02
you are at the
bottom of the heap now.
00:32:01.05\00:32:04.45
I'm just telling you,
in case you haven't heard.
00:32:04.49\00:32:08.02
And there are
gonna be some nights,
00:32:08.06\00:32:10.29
cold, wintry nights as
only Michigan can serve up.
00:32:10.33\00:32:14.10
And you're gonna be sitting
00:32:14.13\00:32:15.46
in that upper bunk
of the dormitory bed
00:32:15.50\00:32:18.00
and you're gonna be
staring at that ceiling
00:32:18.03\00:32:19.53
and you're gonna say,
"What were all my plans?
00:32:19.57\00:32:21.40
What were those dreams?
00:32:21.44\00:32:22.77
What was I thinking of?
00:32:22.80\00:32:24.37
Why did I come here?"
00:32:24.41\00:32:26.88
Welcome to the white space.
00:32:26.91\00:32:29.51
Welcome to the white
space of God's timing.
00:32:29.54\00:32:33.18
You may be a young woman here.
00:32:33.21\00:32:35.02
You are a young man.
00:32:35.05\00:32:36.38
You are a young professional
chomping at the bits
00:32:36.42\00:32:38.79
to kick that dream
of yours into high gear,
00:32:38.82\00:32:41.39
but it feels like you're stuck
in the job that you are in.
00:32:41.42\00:32:44.59
There is no vertical
climbing on this job.
00:32:44.63\00:32:48.03
There is nothing in this career,
00:32:48.06\00:32:50.97
nothing in this
town, nothing on this team.
00:32:51.00\00:32:55.34
You were dreaming
of earning a salary.
00:32:55.37\00:33:00.48
Yes, you were.
00:33:00.51\00:33:02.18
But guess what?
00:33:02.21\00:33:03.55
You're still
punching a time clock.
00:33:03.58\00:33:06.55
Welcome to the white
space of God's timing.
00:33:06.58\00:33:12.52
Or you may be a mother here
00:33:12.55\00:33:14.82
who has cheerfully set
aside her personal ambitions
00:33:14.86\00:33:16.96
as a wife and a career woman,
00:33:16.99\00:33:19.56
and now you're
moving through the doldrums,
00:33:19.59\00:33:21.36
don't misunderstand
me using that word,
00:33:21.40\00:33:23.16
but the doldrums of runny
noses and skinned-up knees
00:33:23.20\00:33:26.13
and children you love.
00:33:26.17\00:33:28.60
But interruptions and
delays are killing your dreams
00:33:28.64\00:33:31.17
when right now you could
be in that corporate boardroom
00:33:31.21\00:33:34.78
living out your
MBA like you dreamed.
00:33:34.81\00:33:39.21
Welcome to the white
space of God's timing.
00:33:39.25\00:33:44.45
You may be a retiree
in this space right now
00:33:44.49\00:33:48.39
who had, oh, so many plans.
00:33:48.42\00:33:50.59
Oh, you knew
what you were gonna do
00:33:50.63\00:33:52.09
when you could get to those
golden years of retirement.
00:33:52.13\00:33:54.13
You scrimped. You saved.
00:33:54.16\00:33:56.87
But now your body is
afflicted with affliction
00:33:56.90\00:33:59.33
that nobody seems to
know what to do with,
00:33:59.37\00:34:01.67
and all those
cruises, all that travel,
00:34:01.70\00:34:03.64
all those days
with the grandkids gone!
00:34:03.67\00:34:06.78
Your body's on hold
now, and it's possible
00:34:06.81\00:34:09.61
it will have a terminal ending.
00:34:09.64\00:34:15.55
Welcome to the white space
00:34:15.58\00:34:19.09
of God's timing.
00:34:19.12\00:34:22.59
As I say, I'm amazed at how
all the greats of Scripture,
00:34:22.62\00:34:25.83
these superheroes, to
a man almost, to a woman,
00:34:25.86\00:34:29.50
experience oftentimes
confusing, perplexing,
00:34:29.53\00:34:32.67
discouraging, overwhelming
white spaces of God's timing.
00:34:32.70\00:34:36.27
"Nothing is
happening in my life.
00:34:36.30\00:34:38.74
Nothing!"
00:34:38.77\00:34:41.24
Elijah, my superhero.
00:34:41.28\00:34:43.65
Elijah, 29, I
calculated it, 29-year ministry.
00:34:43.68\00:34:49.38
Gets a little bit of
razzle-dazzle at the end.
00:34:49.42\00:34:52.09
He's gone.
00:34:52.12\00:34:53.86
White space.
00:34:53.89\00:34:55.32
Whoever would have
thought Elijah the Tishbite.
00:34:55.36\00:34:59.26
Elijah, his successor will
end up with a 54-year ministry
00:34:59.29\00:35:02.56
with a few events and
miracles during the beginning,
00:35:02.60\00:35:04.93
followed by 43 years of silence,
00:35:04.97\00:35:08.37
nothing but white space,
until he dies of a disease.
00:35:08.40\00:35:12.24
Adios!
00:35:12.27\00:35:13.61
He's gone.
00:35:13.64\00:35:16.11
John the Baptist, six months
older than his cousin Jesus,
00:35:16.14\00:35:20.65
lives in utter
obscurity after his birth,
00:35:20.68\00:35:23.28
except for when he
baptizes his Messiah cousin,
00:35:23.32\00:35:26.42
and the next thing
he knows, he's beheaded.
00:35:26.45\00:35:29.09
Schoo! Gone,
34, 35 years of age.
00:35:29.12\00:35:34.16
I'm telling you what.
00:35:34.20\00:35:35.53
You are not alone.
00:35:35.56\00:35:37.27
So many of God's friends have
lived through the white space
00:35:37.30\00:35:39.60
of His timing that I
am absolutely convinced
00:35:39.63\00:35:42.04
that it is mandatory.
00:35:42.07\00:35:43.41
You have to go
through white space
00:35:43.44\00:35:47.74
to survive God's
call in your life.
00:35:47.78\00:35:50.11
Take the greatest influencer
in the history of Christianity,
00:35:53.28\00:35:58.45
except for the
Lord Jesus Himself.
00:35:58.49\00:36:01.86
If we examine His life,
He's a champion of white space.
00:36:01.89\00:36:06.13
If we examine His life, He has
white space in the beginning,
00:36:06.16\00:36:09.60
He has white
space in the middle,
00:36:09.63\00:36:11.50
He has white space at the end,
00:36:11.53\00:36:12.93
as we're gonna find
out in the days to come.
00:36:12.97\00:36:17.11
Yep, we're talking
about our man Saul,
00:36:17.14\00:36:21.71
Paul, the
champion of white space.
00:36:21.74\00:36:26.31
We know very little about his,
00:36:26.35\00:36:27.75
the white space in
the beginning, by the way.
00:36:27.78\00:36:30.35
Let's read the words,
in fact, of the movie clip
00:36:30.39\00:36:32.99
that we just watched.
00:36:33.02\00:36:34.82
It was from Philippians 3.
00:36:34.86\00:36:36.19
And if you don't mind
turning now to Philippians 3.
00:36:36.22\00:36:40.66
Just a handful of details, Paul
00:36:40.70\00:36:43.00
actually autobiographically
shares with us.
00:36:43.03\00:36:45.37
Philippians Chapter 3.
00:36:45.40\00:36:46.94
Oh, you can pick
up one or two others,
00:36:46.97\00:36:48.80
and we will as we journey
through his life together
00:36:48.84\00:36:52.94
this fall.
00:36:52.97\00:36:54.31
But go to Philippians Chapter 3,
00:36:54.34\00:36:56.01
and let's pick it up in verse 4
because he's now gonna give us,
00:36:56.04\00:37:00.52
he's gonna say,
"Hey, listen, guys.
00:37:00.55\00:37:01.88
This is my childhood.
00:37:01.92\00:37:03.25
These are my teen years.
00:37:03.28\00:37:04.75
This is my young adult life.
00:37:04.79\00:37:06.52
This is my family tree."
00:37:06.55\00:37:08.86
Okay, let's find out.
00:37:08.89\00:37:10.33
So this is the
second half of verse 4,
00:37:10.36\00:37:13.53
"If someone else
thinks they have reasons
00:37:13.56\00:37:15.66
to put confidence in
the flesh, I have more."
00:37:15.70\00:37:18.37
Now he's gonna shoot these by us
00:37:18.40\00:37:20.04
so we'll get a little
bigger picture of this Saul guy.
00:37:20.07\00:37:23.84
"Circumcised on the eighth day."
00:37:23.87\00:37:26.74
He was a Jewish
baby, a male baby,
00:37:26.78\00:37:30.98
and the sign of the
covenant is in his flesh.
00:37:31.01\00:37:35.88
"That's who I am."
00:37:35.92\00:37:37.35
That little home in Tarsus, he
was born into a Jewish family.
00:37:37.39\00:37:42.69
Number two, "Of
the people of Israel."
00:37:42.72\00:37:44.73
"I want to tell you something.
00:37:44.76\00:37:46.09
I'm not just any old religion.
00:37:46.13\00:37:47.53
I'm not just any
old denomination.
00:37:47.56\00:37:49.03
I belong to the remnant.
00:37:49.06\00:37:50.40
Do you understand?
The chosen ones of God.
00:37:50.43\00:37:53.64
This is the
community that will get saved
00:37:53.67\00:37:58.07
and whose mission is
to reach the entire world.
00:37:58.11\00:38:01.44
I'm of the people of Israel."
00:38:01.48\00:38:02.94
Number three, "I'm of
the tribe of Benjamin."
00:38:02.98\00:38:05.85
"Look at my veins.
00:38:05.88\00:38:07.22
You see blue blood here?
00:38:07.25\00:38:09.28
I am named after the first
king of the Israelite monarchy,
00:38:09.32\00:38:14.36
Saul, King Saul.
00:38:14.39\00:38:16.69
That's who I am.
00:38:16.73\00:38:18.29
I grew up with these stories.
00:38:18.33\00:38:19.66
I was told it over
and over and over again."
00:38:19.69\00:38:23.50
Number four, "A
Hebrew of Hebrews."
00:38:23.53\00:38:26.57
"Number one, I want
you to know something,
00:38:26.60\00:38:28.44
nobody can out-orthodox me.
00:38:28.47\00:38:30.77
Mnh-mnh.
00:38:30.81\00:38:32.14
I'm a Hebrew of Hebrews.
00:38:32.17\00:38:33.51
And by the way,
there's a second reason
00:38:33.54\00:38:34.88
why I put that there
because I am fluent in Greek.
00:38:34.91\00:38:38.11
And I have lived
in a culture immersed
00:38:38.15\00:38:41.32
with the Hellenist brand
and the Hellenist world view.
00:38:41.35\00:38:45.32
But I am not a
Hellenist of Hellenists."
00:38:45.35\00:38:47.42
Although he would
become the most influential
00:38:47.46\00:38:48.99
writer of Greek in the
history of the human race.
00:38:49.02\00:38:51.29
"I am not a
Hellenist of Hellenists.
00:38:51.33\00:38:52.99
I'm a Hebrew of Hebrew.
00:38:53.03\00:38:54.73
I worship the
creator God of this universe.
00:38:54.76\00:38:57.07
That's who I am."
00:38:57.10\00:38:58.97
Number five, "Within
the law, I'm a Pharisee."
00:38:59.00\00:39:04.14
And by the way,
when he's in trials
00:39:04.17\00:39:06.31
we're gonna note he
had multiple trials.
00:39:06.34\00:39:07.91
He got in trouble.
00:39:07.94\00:39:09.31
In one of this
trials, he cried out,
00:39:09.34\00:39:11.11
"I am a Pharisee of Pharisees.
00:39:11.15\00:39:14.22
My daddy was a Pharisee.
00:39:14.25\00:39:15.78
My granddaddy was a Pharisee.
00:39:15.82\00:39:17.65
My great
grandfather was a Pharisee.
00:39:17.69\00:39:19.95
I am a Pharisee,
and I'm proud of it."
00:39:19.99\00:39:25.69
All this is
happening in the white space
00:39:25.73\00:39:28.16
of his childhood, his teens.
00:39:28.20\00:39:32.27
"As for zeal,
persecuting the church."
00:39:32.30\00:39:34.87
Whatever you do,
don't miss next Sabbath.
00:39:34.90\00:39:37.61
Don't miss it.
00:39:37.64\00:39:38.97
Number seven,
"Righteousness." Ha!
00:39:39.01\00:39:41.74
"Based on the law, faultless."
00:39:41.78\00:39:45.88
"That's my story.
00:39:45.91\00:39:48.62
Those are my childhood and
teen years, my young adulthood.
00:39:48.65\00:39:53.32
White space.
00:39:53.36\00:39:57.13
That's where I lived."
00:39:57.16\00:39:58.69
N.T. Wright, the great
British New Testament scholar,
00:39:58.73\00:40:03.23
in his
magnificent biography of Paul,
00:40:03.26\00:40:06.20
which I read with
great benefit this summer,
00:40:06.23\00:40:08.50
thanks to my Uncle
Ralph, who sent me the book,
00:40:08.54\00:40:13.07
"Paul A Biography"
00:40:13.11\00:40:14.48
that's the title
of Wright's book.
00:40:14.51\00:40:16.61
N.T. Wright tries to
describe what we can surmise
00:40:16.64\00:40:18.98
from reading between the
lines of Paul's childhood.
00:40:19.01\00:40:21.12
So let's put N.T.
Wright on the screen here.
00:40:21.15\00:40:22.75
"We can safely assume, then,
00:40:22.78\00:40:25.65
that Saul grew up
in a cheerfully strict
00:40:25.69\00:40:28.22
observant Jewish
home, on the one hand,
00:40:28.26\00:40:31.73
and in a polyglot"
that would be multi-tongued
00:40:31.76\00:40:34.96
"multicultural,
multiethnic working environment
00:40:35.00\00:40:38.00
on the other.
00:40:38.03\00:40:39.37
Strict adherence
to ancestral tradition
00:40:39.40\00:40:42.00
did not mean
living a sheltered life,
00:40:42.04\00:40:44.94
unaware of how the
rest of the world worked,
00:40:44.97\00:40:47.04
spoke, behaved, and reasoned."
00:40:47.08\00:40:51.35
While Saul's childhood
is obviously a huge expanse
00:40:51.38\00:40:56.15
of white space, of
which we know almost nothing,
00:40:56.18\00:41:00.22
N.T. Wright
says, "Let me imagine
00:41:00.26\00:41:02.29
what kind of a boy he was."
00:41:02.32\00:41:03.66
So I'll put this
on the screen, too.
00:41:03.69\00:41:05.49
"Everything we know about
him encourages us to think,"
00:41:05.53\00:41:09.26
or conclude regarding
the young Saul of Tarsus.
00:41:09.30\00:41:12.57
And by the way, I
stuck this in here.
00:41:12.60\00:41:13.94
Do you know the Tarsus
where Saul was born and grew up
00:41:13.97\00:41:16.24
is one of the three
leading centers of education
00:41:16.27\00:41:18.84
in the empire?
00:41:18.87\00:41:20.34
You never knew that, and I
didn't either about Tarsus.
00:41:20.38\00:41:22.88
Top three.
00:41:22.91\00:41:24.75
He grew up in that town.
00:41:24.78\00:41:26.48
"Everything we know
about the young Saul of Tarsus
00:41:26.51\00:41:30.92
indicates that he was
an unusually gifted child."
00:41:30.95\00:41:35.12
Keep reading.
00:41:35.16\00:41:36.49
"He read
biblical Hebrew fluently.
00:41:36.52\00:41:38.36
He spoke the
Aramaic of the Middle East,
00:41:38.39\00:41:40.23
the mother tongue of Jesus
00:41:40.26\00:41:41.60
and quite possibly
Saul's mother tongue as well,
00:41:41.63\00:41:44.50
and in addition
to the ubiquitous,"
00:41:44.53\00:41:46.37
it's everywhere, "Greek,
00:41:46.40\00:41:48.64
which he spoke and
wrote at great speed."
00:41:48.67\00:41:53.81
So why notice this
white space of Saul's?
00:41:53.84\00:41:58.28
I'll tell you why.
00:41:58.31\00:42:00.32
Because some of you in
this building right now
00:42:00.35\00:42:02.42
and watching on
livestream at this moment,
00:42:02.45\00:42:06.05
some of you were born
into a Christian home,
00:42:06.09\00:42:10.46
into a
Seventh-day Adventist home,
00:42:10.49\00:42:12.03
like Saul's
home, as Wright put it,
00:42:12.06\00:42:13.96
"a cheerfully
strict observant home,"
00:42:14.00\00:42:17.47
orthodox to the core.
00:42:17.50\00:42:22.24
Never wish it otherwise.
00:42:22.27\00:42:26.07
Never say to yourself,
00:42:26.11\00:42:27.51
"Oh, I wish my parents
hadn't been so strict on me.
00:42:27.54\00:42:30.88
I wish those rules I lived
under hadn't been so strident.
00:42:30.91\00:42:34.18
I wish I could have
been like the other guys,
00:42:34.22\00:42:36.12
the other girls.
00:42:36.15\00:42:37.49
But, oh, no."
00:42:37.52\00:42:38.85
Never say that.
00:42:38.89\00:42:42.06
You know why?
00:42:42.09\00:42:44.59
Almighty God, El
Shaddai personally chose
00:42:44.63\00:42:50.13
the home you were birthed into.
00:42:50.17\00:42:53.67
That's why.
00:42:53.70\00:42:55.70
He knows your white space
like the back of His hand.
00:42:55.74\00:42:59.84
He wrote the story.
00:42:59.87\00:43:02.74
And He needs you to affirm
00:43:02.78\00:43:07.25
that He's still writing.
00:43:07.28\00:43:09.32
That's why.
00:43:09.35\00:43:11.22
You have no idea what
God is gonna do in your life.
00:43:11.25\00:43:14.62
You have no idea where
God is going in your life.
00:43:14.66\00:43:17.89
Don't you kiss Him off.
00:43:17.93\00:43:19.36
Don't you pass Him by.
00:43:19.39\00:43:21.20
He has spent all these
years in your white space,
00:43:21.23\00:43:23.93
and you're gonna walk away now?
00:43:23.97\00:43:25.67
Do you understand
what you are doing?
00:43:25.70\00:43:27.87
This much you can know,
my friend, my young friend,
00:43:34.08\00:43:36.98
my new young friend.
00:43:37.01\00:43:38.91
The rich heritage of
belief and trust in God
00:43:38.95\00:43:41.45
and Holy Scripture
that you grew up with,
00:43:41.48\00:43:43.69
the legacy of a
Christian Adventist education
00:43:43.72\00:43:46.65
provided by your parents,
00:43:46.69\00:43:48.02
who value the best education
they could possibly give you,
00:43:48.06\00:43:50.63
and so they sent you here.
00:43:50.66\00:43:54.46
You will never
regret God's choices
00:43:54.50\00:43:58.43
for your childhood
00:43:58.47\00:43:59.97
or for your white space.
00:44:00.00\00:44:05.21
I'll tell you this.
00:44:05.24\00:44:07.68
I do not regret mine.
00:44:07.71\00:44:11.25
I am who I am
00:44:11.28\00:44:15.02
and I am where I am
00:44:15.05\00:44:18.32
because of the
home I grew up in.
00:44:18.35\00:44:22.72
Oh, sure, you could
have been born like Peter.
00:44:22.76\00:44:25.39
Nothing wrong with that.
00:44:25.43\00:44:26.76
Peter the big
fisherman who never could afford
00:44:26.80\00:44:28.86
any education to speak of,
00:44:28.90\00:44:30.77
but happily settled into a
life of blue-collar fishing,
00:44:30.80\00:44:34.40
whom Jesus called one
day, "Yo, Pete, follow me!"
00:44:34.44\00:44:37.61
Peter, who became
the great apostle.
00:44:37.64\00:44:39.94
Peter, though,
could only go so far,
00:44:39.97\00:44:43.71
and God took him where he went
with the white space he had.
00:44:43.75\00:44:48.15
And God says, "We can
do business together."
00:44:48.18\00:44:54.06
But the same Jesus who called
simple fishermen to follow Him
00:44:54.09\00:44:57.43
also hand-picked and called
a bright young man, no doubt,
00:44:57.46\00:45:02.03
scholars believe, a little
younger than Jesus Himself,
00:45:02.06\00:45:05.43
to follow Him.
00:45:05.47\00:45:08.74
The young man whose
parents talking about concern
00:45:08.77\00:45:12.27
about orthodoxy and
adherence to God's will,
00:45:12.31\00:45:16.18
they take him out of Tarsus.
00:45:16.21\00:45:17.88
They send him to Jerusalem.
00:45:17.91\00:45:20.02
And he will sit at the feet
00:45:20.05\00:45:21.38
of some of the
brightest scholars of the time.
00:45:21.42\00:45:23.49
The great Gamaliel
will be his personal mentor.
00:45:23.52\00:45:27.86
That is how desperate
his parents were to make sure
00:45:27.89\00:45:31.43
our boy is kept in the
white space of our values.
00:45:31.46\00:45:36.43
And Christ was able...
00:45:39.73\00:45:41.07
Listen carefully now.
00:45:41.10\00:45:43.10
Christ was able to do with Paul
00:45:43.14\00:45:46.11
what he simply
could not do with Peter
00:45:46.14\00:45:51.38
because of Peter's limitation
00:45:51.41\00:45:56.35
with the white
space that he had.
00:45:56.38\00:46:00.76
Now listen. Listen.
00:46:00.79\00:46:02.12
Hold on. Hold on.
00:46:02.16\00:46:03.49
This is hardly to
suggest that Paul the scholar
00:46:03.53\00:46:05.56
was greater than
Peter the fisherman,
00:46:05.59\00:46:07.66
better than Peter, smarter,
closer to Jesus and the Father.
00:46:07.70\00:46:10.20
Nonsense! Rubbish!
00:46:10.23\00:46:11.57
Paul's words
would be, "God forbid!"
00:46:11.60\00:46:14.64
It's not that.
00:46:14.67\00:46:16.40
But this is to suggest...
00:46:16.44\00:46:17.94
Listen carefully now.
00:46:17.97\00:46:19.97
It is to suggest to you students
00:46:20.01\00:46:22.28
who have come to
Andrews University
00:46:22.31\00:46:26.58
that God is giving you,
00:46:26.61\00:46:28.15
in the season of
your white space,
00:46:28.18\00:46:30.25
where you are
unknown to the church
00:46:30.29\00:46:32.19
and you are
unknown to the world.
00:46:32.22\00:46:34.66
He is giving you
some precious time
00:46:34.69\00:46:37.99
to shape your life
00:46:38.03\00:46:40.60
into His calling for you
00:46:40.63\00:46:45.40
one day that starts
00:46:45.43\00:46:48.94
right now.
00:46:48.97\00:46:52.41
Don't worry about what
happens after the white space
00:46:52.44\00:46:55.21
because guess what?
00:46:55.24\00:46:56.58
You'll never know when
the white space is over
00:46:56.61\00:46:58.68
and the destiny has begun.
00:46:58.71\00:47:00.05
You'll never know.
00:47:00.08\00:47:01.42
So quite looking at yourself.
00:47:01.45\00:47:02.92
Quit self-calculating.
00:47:02.95\00:47:05.19
Trust.
00:47:05.22\00:47:07.32
Trust Him.
00:47:07.36\00:47:08.69
When you're
ready, God will be ready.
00:47:08.72\00:47:10.63
So in the meantime,
embrace your white space.
00:47:10.66\00:47:12.99
That's it.
00:47:13.03\00:47:14.36
Embrace your white space.
00:47:14.40\00:47:15.73
Stay in your white space.
00:47:15.76\00:47:17.37
Do not get out of it
so that God can shape you
00:47:17.40\00:47:22.14
into your personal destiny
00:47:22.17\00:47:23.51
and your high
calling in Christ Jesus.
00:47:23.54\00:47:26.57
Because the good news is I
want you to take this home.
00:47:26.61\00:47:29.78
The good news is Jesus
is Lord of your white space.
00:47:29.81\00:47:34.38
Take it home.
00:47:34.42\00:47:35.75
Brood over it.
00:47:35.78\00:47:38.19
He's the one who has set you
up for where you are right now.
00:47:38.22\00:47:44.03
Stay with Him.
00:47:44.06\00:47:45.99
No friend of His is
ever assigned to spend a life
00:47:46.03\00:47:49.83
in front of the stage lights.
00:47:49.86\00:47:51.73
The limelight is not necessary.
00:47:51.77\00:47:54.90
The limelight is not healthy.
00:47:54.94\00:47:57.61
The limelight is not good.
00:47:57.64\00:47:59.67
Be content to live
in the white space,
00:48:04.81\00:48:08.08
where the Lord of your
white space lives with you now.
00:48:08.12\00:48:11.15
Embrace your white space.
00:48:11.19\00:48:13.52
Go for all you have.
00:48:13.56\00:48:16.69
Go for the gold
00:48:16.73\00:48:19.93
while you're in white space.
00:48:19.96\00:48:24.47
And when He's
ready for your moment,
00:48:24.50\00:48:26.63
I promise you,
you too will be ready.
00:48:26.67\00:48:30.07
Stay in the white space.
00:48:30.11\00:48:32.07
Stay in that white space.
00:48:32.11\00:48:35.88
Because remember
even Jesus, our beloved,
00:48:35.91\00:48:40.48
our blessed Lord and
Savior, lived His life,
00:48:40.52\00:48:45.85
the bulk of His
life in white space.
00:48:45.89\00:48:49.52
You think about Jesus.
00:48:49.56\00:48:51.93
Oh, yeah, you're right.
00:48:51.96\00:48:53.29
There was a little bit
of drama there at the birth.
00:48:53.33\00:48:55.66
His parents flee to Egypt. Yep.
00:48:55.70\00:48:57.63
A few years later,
they move to Nazareth.
00:48:57.67\00:48:59.00
You got that right.
00:48:59.03\00:49:00.37
Somewhere along the way,
they make a trip to Jerusalem.
00:49:00.40\00:49:02.20
Jesus is 12. He goes.
00:49:02.24\00:49:03.67
That's it.
00:49:03.71\00:49:05.04
That's all we know,
30-plus years of white space.
00:49:05.07\00:49:08.94
We know nothing.
00:49:08.98\00:49:10.98
Nothing.
00:49:11.01\00:49:13.75
So He knows all
about white space.
00:49:13.78\00:49:18.12
And by the way, don't you
think He was an influencer
00:49:18.15\00:49:20.26
during the time
in the white space?
00:49:20.29\00:49:22.66
Are you kidding?
00:49:22.69\00:49:24.43
Can't you be an
influencer right now?
00:49:24.46\00:49:26.36
Do you have to wait till
you're outside the white space?
00:49:26.39\00:49:28.06
Never, never, never.
00:49:28.10\00:49:29.43
You start touching lives.
00:49:29.46\00:49:31.03
You start loving people
the way Jesus loved people.
00:49:31.07\00:49:33.13
You just love on them.
00:49:33.17\00:49:34.50
You will be surprised
how dramatic and influential
00:49:34.54\00:49:39.71
that compassion you
show turns out to be.
00:49:39.74\00:49:42.14
You're gonna be an influencer.
00:49:42.18\00:49:44.18
You can't just sit here
00:49:44.21\00:49:45.75
and wait for influencing
to be dumped in your lap.
00:49:45.78\00:49:48.88
You'll never get
it, ever, ever, ever.
00:49:48.92\00:49:53.15
Live now.
00:49:53.19\00:49:54.76
Live in your white space.
00:49:54.79\00:49:56.42
Live it out.
00:49:56.46\00:49:57.86
And by the way Jesus
remained in His white space
00:49:57.89\00:50:03.83
until the day when He
heard these words from heaven.
00:50:03.87\00:50:09.00
I want you to think about this.
00:50:09.04\00:50:11.17
The words He hears from heaven
00:50:11.21\00:50:13.38
are, "This is my beloved Son,
00:50:13.41\00:50:19.31
in whom I am well pleased."
00:50:19.35\00:50:23.22
"Wait a minute! Time out!
00:50:23.25\00:50:24.59
Hey, Father, excuse me.
00:50:24.62\00:50:25.95
I don't want to be
sacrilegious, but time out.
00:50:25.99\00:50:28.66
How could this
be Your beloved Son
00:50:28.69\00:50:30.46
in whom you are well pleased
00:50:30.49\00:50:31.83
when He hasn't
done anything yet?"
00:50:31.86\00:50:33.76
He's been in the
white space the whole time.
00:50:33.80\00:50:36.93
Could it be that
it is pleasing to God
00:50:36.97\00:50:39.80
for you to
occupy your white space
00:50:39.83\00:50:42.67
until you hear
the voice that says,
00:50:42.70\00:50:45.17
"Go, boy.
00:50:45.21\00:50:46.81
Girl, now."
00:50:46.84\00:50:50.75
He's pleased
with your white space.
00:50:50.78\00:50:52.28
If He's pleased
with Jesus' white space,
00:50:52.31\00:50:54.08
why wouldn't He be
pleased with your white space?
00:50:54.12\00:50:58.22
Wow.
00:50:58.25\00:50:59.65
Dripping out of
the Jordan He comes,
00:50:59.69\00:51:03.83
onto the
pathway selected for Him
00:51:03.86\00:51:06.03
that will
eventually drip crimson,
00:51:06.06\00:51:08.73
His blood, as He climbs Calvary.
00:51:08.76\00:51:14.20
Don't look for a
glamorous ending.
00:51:14.24\00:51:18.17
Just look for God's win.
00:51:18.21\00:51:22.48
My, oh, my, oh, my.
00:51:22.51\00:51:24.38
I ask you, who
better to entrust your life
00:51:24.41\00:51:27.15
to right now, to entrust
your white space to right now
00:51:27.18\00:51:31.12
than the Lord of
your white space?
00:51:31.15\00:51:33.46
What do you say?
00:51:33.49\00:51:36.26
That's pretty
weak. What do you say?
00:51:36.29\00:51:37.86
Amen!
00:51:37.89\00:51:39.23
Come on.
00:51:39.26\00:51:41.26
White space, you're in it.
00:51:41.30\00:51:43.47
Stay in it.
00:51:43.50\00:51:44.83
He's in it.
00:51:44.87\00:51:46.20
Oh, I want to sing this song,
"In the Morning When I Rise"
00:51:46.23\00:51:50.61
"In the morning when
I rise, give me Jesus."
00:51:50.64\00:51:53.21
I want to sing that song.
00:51:53.24\00:51:54.58
But before we do,
00:51:54.61\00:51:56.78
it's time for you to
make a decision right here.
00:51:56.81\00:51:58.65
And if you've
got your cellphone,
00:51:58.68\00:52:00.12
we're ready to make
decisions right now.
00:52:00.15\00:52:02.08
Let's go.
00:52:02.12\00:52:03.45
Put it on the screen. I will.
00:52:03.49\00:52:05.25
I want you to text the
word "Paul" to this number.
00:52:05.29\00:52:10.83
You watch what happens.
00:52:10.86\00:52:12.23
In a split second,
you'll feel the vibration.
00:52:12.26\00:52:14.90
Text the word "Paul" to 269...
00:52:14.93\00:52:17.70
That's our wonderful,
00:52:17.73\00:52:19.07
memorizable number 269-281-2345.
00:52:19.10\00:52:22.80
All right?
00:52:22.84\00:52:24.17
Get that in your speed dial.
00:52:24.21\00:52:26.47
269-281-2345.
00:52:26.51\00:52:29.08
You text the word
"Paul," the name "Paul,"
00:52:29.11\00:52:32.55
and in a moment,
you'll feel it vibrate.
00:52:32.58\00:52:34.72
Now hold on. Hold on.
00:52:34.75\00:52:36.79
No. Go ahead and text.
00:52:36.82\00:52:39.22
But I want to show you
what's gonna come to you.
00:52:39.25\00:52:41.56
Let's put the connect card here.
00:52:41.59\00:52:43.26
"My next step today is..."
00:52:43.29\00:52:46.23
All right, three boxes.
00:52:46.26\00:52:47.96
Box number one.
00:52:48.00\00:52:49.33
"I accept Jesus as
Lord of my 'white space,'
00:52:49.36\00:52:51.53
and I want to be an
'influencer' for Him."
00:52:51.57\00:52:54.90
Anybody here not want to
be an influencer for Jesus?
00:52:54.94\00:52:57.94
Put a checkmark right there.
00:52:57.97\00:52:59.31
See what comes
because you'll get a response.
00:52:59.34\00:53:00.91
Yes, you will.
00:53:00.94\00:53:02.28
Put a checkmark
right there. I want to be.
00:53:02.31\00:53:03.85
I put a checkmark there.
00:53:03.88\00:53:05.21
Box number two.
00:53:05.25\00:53:06.58
"Please send me
some practical steps
00:53:06.61\00:53:08.08
to deepen my walk with Jesus."
00:53:08.12\00:53:10.29
You put a checkmark right
there and then you hit "Send,"
00:53:10.32\00:53:13.76
you will get something in
return to your text number.
00:53:13.79\00:53:18.09
And I hope it will bless you.
00:53:18.13\00:53:20.30
For some of you, it
will change your life,
00:53:20.33\00:53:22.43
if you put a text, if
you check box number two.
00:53:22.46\00:53:24.80
There's one more box.
00:53:24.83\00:53:26.17
"I would like to
follow Jesus and be baptized."
00:53:26.20\00:53:28.67
I can't think of a
better way to begin
00:53:28.70\00:53:30.94
a new year at
Andrews University,
00:53:30.97\00:53:32.31
maybe your first year.
00:53:32.34\00:53:33.68
You're not
baptized yet? That's okay.
00:53:33.71\00:53:35.84
You just put a check...
00:53:35.88\00:53:37.21
You put a checkmark
there in box number three,
00:53:37.25\00:53:39.11
we'll get the word.
00:53:39.15\00:53:40.48
We'll be in touch
with you electronically,
00:53:40.52\00:53:42.82
and we'll explore,
00:53:42.85\00:53:44.19
"Okay, what can we do to
help you with that decision?
00:53:44.22\00:53:47.56
You've never been baptized?
00:53:47.59\00:53:49.12
Come on. What
are you waiting for?
00:53:49.16\00:53:50.49
Next year?
00:53:50.53\00:53:51.86
Do it this year.
00:53:51.89\00:53:53.23
Your life is ready.
00:53:53.26\00:53:54.60
The Lord of your
white space is ready
00:53:54.63\00:53:56.60
for your decision today.
00:53:56.63\00:53:58.53
Just put a checkmark there.
00:53:58.57\00:54:00.10
It'll come to you.
00:54:00.14\00:54:01.87
You just...
00:54:01.90\00:54:03.24
You see what comes to
you, and then you decide.
00:54:03.27\00:54:07.61
Oh, we got to sing this song,
"In the Morning When I Rise."
00:54:07.64\00:54:12.75
Come on, singers. Let's go.
00:54:12.78\00:54:14.12
Where are you? Let's sing.
00:54:14.15\00:54:15.55
That's such a
beautiful, beautiful prayer.
00:54:15.58\00:54:19.52
And we're gonna
pray it together.
00:54:19.55\00:54:21.02
Can't think of a
better way to end this moment
00:54:21.06\00:54:23.43
than to cry
out, "Give me Jesus."
00:54:23.46\00:54:26.13
In the morning, when I rise
00:54:36.50\00:54:40.98
In the morning, when I rise
00:54:41.01\00:54:45.45
In the morning, when I rise
00:54:45.48\00:54:49.78
Give me Jesus
00:54:49.82\00:54:54.42
Give me Jesus
00:54:54.46\00:54:59.13
Give me Jesus
00:54:59.16\00:55:03.67
You can have all this world
00:55:03.70\00:55:08.20
Give me Jesus
00:55:08.24\00:55:13.21
Dark midnight was my cry
00:55:17.01\00:55:21.48
Dark midnight was my cry
00:55:21.52\00:55:25.92
Dark midnight was my cry
00:55:25.95\00:55:30.29
Give me Jesus
00:55:30.33\00:55:34.83
Give me Jesus
00:55:34.86\00:55:39.40
Give me Jesus
00:55:39.43\00:55:43.74
You can have all this world
00:55:43.77\00:55:48.21
Give me Jesus
00:55:48.24\00:55:51.21
Oh, when I come to die
00:55:54.88\00:55:59.55
Oh, when I come to die
00:55:59.59\00:56:03.79
Oh, when I come to die
00:56:03.83\00:56:08.10
Give me Jesus
00:56:08.13\00:56:12.70
Give me Jesus
00:56:12.73\00:56:17.14
Give me Jesus
00:56:17.17\00:56:21.78
You can have all this world
00:56:21.81\00:56:26.08
Give me Jesus
00:56:26.11\00:56:30.65
Give me Jesus
00:56:30.69\00:56:35.22
Give me Jesus
00:56:35.26\00:56:39.83
You can have all this world
00:56:39.86\00:56:44.53
Give me Jesus
00:56:44.57\00:56:50.51
Before you go, let
me take an extra moment
00:56:58.71\00:57:00.12
to share with you an opportunity
00:57:00.15\00:57:01.48
to get into the
Bible in a fresh, new way.
00:57:01.52\00:57:04.45
All across the
world, more and more people
00:57:04.49\00:57:05.82
are hearing the call to examine
Scriptures for themselves.
00:57:05.85\00:57:09.42
If you've felt drawn to
learn more about God's Word,
00:57:09.46\00:57:11.56
but you don't
know where to start
00:57:11.59\00:57:12.93
or you're just
looking for a more in-depth
00:57:12.96\00:57:14.76
examination of Bible truths,
00:57:14.80\00:57:16.80
then I have something right here
00:57:16.83\00:57:18.17
that I believe
you're gonna enjoy.
00:57:18.20\00:57:19.90
I want to send a series
of guides to get you started.
00:57:19.93\00:57:22.50
This one's entitled "Why
Does God Allow Suffering?"
00:57:22.54\00:57:25.41
Each guide begins with a story,
an introduction of the subject.
00:57:25.44\00:57:28.44
Then, through a
series of focus questions,
00:57:28.48\00:57:30.55
you'll be learning
portions of the Bible
00:57:30.58\00:57:32.01
you may never have known before.
00:57:32.05\00:57:33.52
And when you're through, you'll
be able to share with others
00:57:33.55\00:57:35.82
some of these
inspiring Bible truths.
00:57:35.85\00:57:38.09
So just call our
toll-free number.
00:57:38.12\00:57:39.45
It's on the screen 877,
the two words HIS-WILL."
00:57:39.49\00:57:43.26
Our friendly
operators are standing
00:57:43.29\00:57:44.63
by to send these
study guides to you.
00:57:44.66\00:57:46.39
Once again, that's 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:46.43\00:57:49.70
Call that number,
and then again join me
00:57:49.73\00:57:53.00
next week right
here at this same time,
00:57:53.03\00:57:55.80
New Perceptions.
00:57:55.84\00:57:57.21