[Music]
00:01:02.59\00:01:05.11
[Music]
00:08:12.65\00:08:15.62
Thank you very much,
God bless you, beautiful.
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Well, I'm glad God
has some great musicians
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in His church, aren't you?
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We don't have to take a
backseat to the world at all.
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And people play all
kinds of instruments.
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Some people use their voices
and it is a great privilege
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and honor for me to
introduce one of those,
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sister Allison Durham Speer.
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And I would like to
bring Allison out right now.
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In fact, it gives me special,
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I think its a special
honor to introduced you,
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after this what we
called high church,
00:11:27.75\00:11:30.04
what I've heard
term high church music
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like that to introduce
this little girl from Kentucky,
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there is more
hill belly than I am.
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You'll see wait
till she opens her mouth.
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Where are you from Allison?
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Gravel Switch, Kentucky. Where?
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Are you kidding? No.
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What its call? Gravel Switch.
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Gravel Switch.
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Okay, that's
really original name,
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I'm won't go into that tonight.
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Tells us a little
bit, now you're a Speer,
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your husband is
Brian, he is back here
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running some
sound, right? He is.
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Okay and he is part
of this Speer family,
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for generations
they are gospel singers.
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Right, he is mom and dad
Speer's youngest grandson.
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Okay, youngest
grandson, and somehow he says,
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I'm gonna let my
wife do the singing,
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and I'll do the
running the switches, right?
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And he does a very good
job, I don't know anything
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about sound or
anything like that,
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I just tell him make
me sound tall and thin.
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He makes you sound
tall and thin, okay.
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Maybe you could do
that for me also Brian,
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I'd appreciate that too.
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Give us a little
bit of your background,
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I know that for
instance you do a lot of,
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any of you ever
watch or go through videos,
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I don't know some of you
see, there's quite a few of you,
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Allison is on those quite often.
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And I know you are in
your full time ministry.
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And tells us a little bit
about it, where you, you're?
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We travel all over the country.
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We do mostly
churches on the weekend,
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but we do a lot of
women's conferences
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and a lot of
pastor's conferences.
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I have just come out of
four pastor's conferences
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down in Georgia where about
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900 pastors
came and their wives.
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And we loved on their
wives and we gave away
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lots of wonderful
gifts and did a make over
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on one lady and it was just
a wonderful time to get to say,
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thank you for all of
the shepherds out there.
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All right, now your background,
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you were raised
and you are a Nazarene.
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I was raised Southern Baptist.
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Southern Baptist, okay.
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Brian is a Nazarene, so
we go to a Nazarene Church.
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But every now and then we go
down to the Assemblies of God,
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just to get
charged up again, you know.
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All right, and once in while,
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you even come to
the Adventist Church.
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So she can hear, learn how to
count, we do things like that.
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Hello, somebody caught
that learn how to count
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one, two, three,
four, five, six, seven.
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Now it's okay, we're good
friends, we can talk that way.
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These people got
real, duce, like,
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oh, no, he might
have offended her.
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No, we have a great time, and so
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Allison sings for literally from
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all different denominations,
all different backgrounds,
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but what we were
drawn to Allison and Brian
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is their love for
Jesus that shines through.
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They are ministers
of the gospel surely,
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is Pastor Nelson
here, because they are about
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the saving of souls
for the kingdom of God.
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And I think in the closing
moments of earth's history,
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that's what the Lord is
looking for right people,
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who are willing to be used.
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And I just want
to thank you Allison,
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that you've come,
now you're doing some
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traveling with Mark
Finley too, you've gone right?
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Yes, we have, we
travel all around
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to some camp
meetings with him in Tinian
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and enjoyed our time with him.
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And you're saying
with Pastor Cox there,
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Kenneth Cox, I guess at 3ABN,
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yes, the camp meetings
there and things like that.
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So, you, now you can say
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I've sing in all
of these churches
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and quite regularly now in
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Seventh-day Adventist Churches.
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Yeah, that's right.
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And hearing great
preaching out of those guys,
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they put you to
shame, you know that.
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Yeah, they do, they do.
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And I start to say,
because they tell the truth,
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but I mean, I had
tried to tell the truth too,
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but they do it in
little better way than I do.
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So I always tell preacher,
people I'm not a preacher,
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nor son of a
preacher, I just talk a lot.
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So based on that what
you just said about me,
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I'm gonna sit
down, and we want you to
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bless us with your
music. Okay, thanks Danny.
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Jesus! What a
Friend for sinners!
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Jesus! Lover of my soul
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Friends may fail
me, foes assail me
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He, my Savior, makes me whole
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Hallelujah! What a Savior!
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Hallelujah! What a Friend!
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Saving, helping, keeping, loving
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He is with me to the end
00:15:52.57\00:15:59.29
Jesus! What a
strength in weakness!
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Let me hide myself in Him
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Tempted, tried,
and sometimes failing
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He, my strength, my victory wins
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Jesus! I do now receive
Him More than all in Him I find
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He hath granted me forgiveness
I am His, and He is mine
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Hallelujah! What a Savior!
00:16:42.82\00:16:47.52
Hallelujah! What a Friend!
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Saving, helping, keeping, loving
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He is with me to the end
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Hallelujah! What a Savior!
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Hallelujah! What a Friend!
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Saving, helping, keeping, loving
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Saving, helping, keeping, loving
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He is with me to the end
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Now I do a lot
of old Tammy songs
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and you may have heard this one.
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It's my husband's
very favorite old hymn.
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Jesus has a table spread
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Where the saints of God are fed
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He invites His chosen
people, "Come and dine"
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With His manna He doth
feed And supplies our every need
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O't is sweet to sup
with Jesus all the time!
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"Come and dine," the
Master calleth, "Come and dine"
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You may feast at
Jesus' table all the time
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He Who fed the multitude,
turned the water into wine
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To the hungry
calleth now, "Come and dine."
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Soon the Lamb
will take His bride
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To be ever at His side
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The host of
Heaven will assembled be
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O't will be a glorious sight
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All the saints
in spotless white;
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And with Jesus we
will feast eternally.
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"Come and dine," the
Master calleth, "Come and dine"
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You may feast at
Jesus' table all the time
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He Who fed the multitude,
turned the water into wine
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To the hungry
calleth now, "Come and dine."
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To the hungry
calleth now, "Come and dine."
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Are any of you from
the south by the way?
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One or two of you
are from the south,
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now we are probably cousins.
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You know, in the south,
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it just a whole different world
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and my beautiful grandmother
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was that wonderful
southern belle of the family
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and she was the
most wonderful cook.
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And she had a
wonderful personality,
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she just had no
boundaries between you and her.
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You know, she was a
magnate for other people.
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And so every time,
I would take granny
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out to sing
somewhere at a church,
00:19:52.14\00:19:54.24
the church would
always ask me back,
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if I could bring granny with me,
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that was the kind
of lover that she was.
00:19:57.93\00:20:00.34
And she just had the
most wonderful way about her.
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She used to give me
advice, and she'd give me advice
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in that old
crackly voice of hers.
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She would say,
oh, honey don't try to
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make corn bread unless
you got good butter milk,
00:20:10.55\00:20:13.68
don't ever drink anything
that's been made in bathtub
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and roll the window
down before you spit.
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And she was so witty some times,
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you know, Brian and I
were going to get married,
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you know, and I was in
the little bridal suite
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there with mom and granny
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getting ready to
go down the isle.
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My grandmother
said oh, I'm so glad
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you got your good husband honey.
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Every woman in the
world needs a good husband,
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there are just some things
00:20:38.92\00:20:40.18
you can't blame
on the government.
00:20:40.19\00:20:41.79
She was just
wonderful about all of her
00:20:44.62\00:20:47.87
love and her wit and
her devotion to the family.
00:20:47.88\00:20:51.25
She taught me the
spiritual ways of the Lord,
00:20:51.26\00:20:54.13
and in the ways that she kept
her household in her cooking,
00:20:54.14\00:20:59.50
in her church service,
and teaching of Sunday school,
00:20:59.51\00:21:03.17
in the way that
she kept the garden
00:21:03.18\00:21:05.35
and all of those things.
00:21:05.36\00:21:06.75
She taught the ways of the Lord.
00:21:06.76\00:21:08.64
And so when I look
back upon my grandmother,
00:21:08.65\00:21:10.72
I just think what a
wonderful heritage I have.
00:21:10.73\00:21:13.89
Granny loved the word of God.
00:21:13.90\00:21:16.73
Granny love Jesus
more than anything,
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more than, more
than coming to church,
00:21:19.82\00:21:22.39
more than
teaching Sunday school,
00:21:22.40\00:21:23.63
she loved Jesus Christ.
00:21:23.64\00:21:25.60
And she loved Jesus, even though
00:21:25.61\00:21:27.18
she loved gospel
music an awful lot.
00:21:27.19\00:21:29.67
Granny loved Jesus more
than she loved gospel music.
00:21:29.68\00:21:32.57
So a lot of the
older songs that I sing,
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I sing, because I learn
them in my grandmother's knee.
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Songs like this one,
00:21:39.24\00:21:41.05
"A wonderful
anthem of the church."
00:21:41.06\00:21:44.36
I boast not of works
nor tell of good deeds
00:21:44.37\00:21:54.36
For naught have I
done to merit His grace
00:21:54.37\00:22:05.45
All glory and
praise shall rest upon Him
00:22:05.46\00:22:17.02
So willing to die in my place
00:22:17.03\00:22:24.47
I will glory in the cross,
00:22:26.29\00:22:34.30
in the cross lest His
suffering all be in vain
00:22:34.31\00:22:46.22
I will weep no more
for the cross that He bore
00:22:47.81\00:22:58.48
I will glory in the cross
00:22:58.49\00:23:09.67
My trophies and crowns,
my robes stained with sin
00:23:10.67\00:23:19.26
Were all that I
had to lay at His feet
00:23:20.57\00:23:31.24
Unworthy to feast
from the table of life
00:23:31.25\00:23:41.72
Till God made provision for me
00:23:41.73\00:23:49.88
And I will glory in the cross,
00:23:49.89\00:23:59.64
in the cross Lest his
suffering all be in vain
00:23:59.65\00:24:12.89
I will weep no more
for the cross that He bore
00:24:12.90\00:24:23.32
I will glory in the cross
00:24:23.33\00:24:35.28
In the cross, in the cross
00:24:35.29\00:24:46.02
Be my glory 'ever
00:24:46.03\00:24:55.78
I will weep no more
for the cross that He bore
00:24:55.79\00:25:05.93
I will glory, I will glory,
00:25:05.94\00:25:16.38
I will glory in the cross
00:25:16.39\00:25:30.44
Amen. What a song.
00:25:32.71\00:25:36.21
Some of the old ones
that we have to sing.
00:25:36.22\00:25:38.80
They are so simple and so
profound at the same time.
00:25:38.81\00:25:45.03
So I sing with all the
passion I can muster up,
00:25:45.04\00:25:48.22
so that when the young
ones who come along behind us.
00:25:48.23\00:25:51.74
Hear these songs, they will know
00:25:51.75\00:25:54.73
why we're so in love with Him.
00:25:54.74\00:25:56.24
A wonderful
Savior is Jesus my Lord
00:25:57.39\00:26:05.96
A wonderful Savior to me
00:26:05.97\00:26:13.27
He hideth my soul in
the cleft of the rock
00:26:13.28\00:26:24.53
Where rivers of pleasure I see
00:26:24.54\00:26:33.37
He hideth my soul in
the cleft of the rock
00:26:33.38\00:26:42.79
That shadows a dry, thirsty land
00:26:42.80\00:26:50.55
He hideth my life in
the depths of His love
00:26:50.56\00:27:01.01
And covers me
there with His hand
00:27:01.02\00:27:10.54
And covers me
there with His hand
00:27:10.55\00:27:22.24
When clothed in His brightness,
00:27:23.84\00:27:28.69
transported I rise
00:27:28.70\00:27:33.36
To meet Him in clouds of the sky
00:27:33.37\00:27:41.01
His perfect
salvation, His wonderful love
00:27:41.02\00:27:49.77
I'll shout with
the millions on high
00:27:49.78\00:27:57.03
He hideth my soul in
the cleft of the rock
00:27:57.04\00:28:06.16
That shadows a dry, thirsty land
00:28:06.17\00:28:15.65
He hideth my life in
the depths of His love
00:28:15.66\00:28:28.39
And covers me
there with His hand
00:28:28.40\00:28:37.76
And covers me
there with His hand
00:28:39.13\00:28:58.83
My soul in sad exile
was out on life's sea
00:29:17.43\00:29:29.72
So burdened with
sin and distressed,
00:29:29.73\00:29:39.24
Then I heard a
sweet voice, saying,
00:29:39.25\00:29:45.21
"Make Me your choice"
00:29:45.22\00:29:49.50
And I entered
the "Haven of Rest"!
00:29:49.51\00:30:00.99
Do you know the
second verse of that song?
00:30:01.00\00:30:02.64
I yielded in myself
in His tender embrace
00:30:03.79\00:30:13.68
And faith
taking hold of the Word
00:30:13.69\00:30:21.45
My fetters fell off,
and I anchored my soul
00:30:21.46\00:30:32.86
The "Haven of Rest" is my Lord
00:30:32.87\00:30:43.06
I've anchored my soul
in the "Haven of Rest"
00:30:43.07\00:30:54.25
I'll sail the wide seas no more
00:30:54.26\00:31:05.58
Though the tempest may sweep
over the wild, stormy, deep
00:31:05.59\00:31:17.25
In Jesus I'm safe evermore
00:31:17.26\00:31:34.03
Can you say amen to that? Amen.
00:31:34.04\00:31:36.89
How sweet to
hold A new born baby
00:31:40.29\00:31:56.26
And feel the pride
And the joy that he gives
00:31:56.27\00:32:09.02
All but greater
still that calm assurance
00:32:09.03\00:32:24.54
This child can face
uncertain days because he lives
00:32:24.55\00:32:42.02
And because he
lives You know it sings
00:32:42.03\00:32:47.86
I can face
tomorrow Because he lives
00:32:47.87\00:32:59.15
All fear is gone
00:32:59.16\00:33:05.43
Because I know
he holds the future
00:33:05.44\00:33:16.16
My life is worth the
living just because he lives
00:33:16.17\00:33:26.31
And then one day
We'll cross that river
00:33:27.35\00:33:37.75
We'll fight life's final
war, life's final war with pain
00:33:37.76\00:33:48.60
And then as death
Gives way to victory
00:33:48.61\00:33:58.00
We see the lights of
glory and I'll know he reigns
00:33:58.01\00:34:08.54
Because he lives
I can face tomorrow
00:34:08.55\00:34:19.51
Because he
lives All fear is gone
00:34:19.52\00:34:30.34
Because I know
he holds the future
00:34:30.35\00:34:41.44
My life is worth the
living just because he lives
00:34:41.45\00:34:54.52
Because he lives, he lives
00:34:54.53\00:35:12.24
Wonderful Merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
00:35:24.93\00:35:36.16
Who would've thought that a Lamb
00:35:37.69\00:35:42.31
Could rescue the souls of men
00:35:42.32\00:35:48.51
O You rescue the souls of men
00:35:48.52\00:35:55.97
Counselor, Comforter, Keeper,
00:35:59.63\00:36:05.69
Spirit we long to embrace
00:36:05.70\00:36:12.37
You offer hope
when our hearts have
00:36:12.38\00:36:18.63
Hopelessly lost our way
00:36:18.64\00:36:23.48
Oh we've hopelessly lost our way
00:36:23.49\00:36:31.24
You are the one that we praise
00:36:31.25\00:36:37.69
You are the one we adore
00:36:37.70\00:36:43.89
You give the healing and grace
00:36:43.90\00:36:50.27
Our hearts always hunger for
00:36:50.28\00:36:55.01
Oh our hearts always hunger for
00:36:55.02\00:37:02.87
You are the one that we praise
00:37:02.88\00:37:09.16
You are the one we adore
00:37:09.17\00:37:15.43
You give the healing and grace
00:37:15.44\00:37:20.25
Our hearts always hunger for
00:37:20.26\00:37:26.55
Oh our hearts always hunger for
00:37:26.56\00:37:34.91
Almighty, Infinite, Father,
faithfully loving your own
00:37:37.69\00:37:50.20
Herein our weakness You find us
00:37:50.21\00:37:56.61
Falling before Your throne,
00:37:56.62\00:38:01.39
Oh we're falling
before Your throne
00:38:01.40\00:38:09.16
You are the one that we praise
00:38:09.17\00:38:15.59
You are the one we adore
00:38:15.60\00:38:21.90
You give the healing and grace
00:38:21.91\00:38:26.76
Our hearts always hunger for
00:38:26.77\00:38:33.04
Oh our hearts always hunger for
00:38:33.05\00:38:40.90
You are the one that we praise
00:38:40.91\00:38:47.09
You are the one we adore
00:38:47.10\00:38:53.14
For you give the
healing and grace
00:38:53.15\00:38:58.19
Our hearts always hunger for
00:38:58.20\00:39:04.44
Oh our hearts always hunger for.
00:39:04.45\00:39:21.56
Amen. Amen.
00:39:24.34\00:39:26.62
You know, it's so good to
be able to stand here tonight
00:39:26.63\00:39:29.50
to testify by
the wonderful savior,
00:39:29.51\00:39:32.25
counselor, and
friend, can you say amen?
00:39:32.26\00:39:34.28
Amen.
00:39:34.29\00:39:35.26
We have not always been worthy
of the blessing of the Lord,
00:39:35.27\00:39:40.37
and even when we
believe that we're worthy,
00:39:40.38\00:39:42.96
it is only because
of what Jesus has done,
00:39:42.97\00:39:45.14
He makes
difference in our lives.
00:39:45.15\00:39:47.16
I'm standing here tonight
as a patchwork of my past,
00:39:47.17\00:39:50.66
my present, and the
hope that I have in my future
00:39:50.67\00:39:53.78
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:39:53.79\00:39:55.59
As a native of New York City,
00:39:55.60\00:39:57.06
you know, that I could be doing
00:39:57.07\00:39:58.04
something quite
differently tonight.
00:39:58.05\00:40:00.23
And the reason I enjoy
singing that song about
00:40:00.24\00:40:03.04
a wonderful
Savior, who rescues us,
00:40:03.05\00:40:05.82
finds us where we are, and
leads us in our broken state
00:40:05.83\00:40:09.71
to be a glory to His name
00:40:09.72\00:40:11.59
is because tomorrow you'll be
listening to Pastor C. A. Murray
00:40:11.60\00:40:14.90
who has known me
for more than 30 years,
00:40:14.91\00:40:17.63
knew me when I was
out in the world partying,
00:40:17.64\00:40:20.48
gambling, and living the
night life in New York City.
00:40:20.49\00:40:23.73
My wife and I, now are
going on 23 years of marriage,
00:40:23.74\00:40:26.57
met me as a
young man 16 years old,
00:40:26.58\00:40:28.88
out in the world, sitting
in the church on Sabbath.
00:40:28.89\00:40:33.29
But out in the world
from Sunday to Friday,
00:40:33.30\00:40:36.12
coming to church to
sleeping during the sermon,
00:40:36.13\00:40:39.12
getting ready to go back in
the world on Saturday night.
00:40:39.13\00:40:42.18
And aren't you glad that
we serve a patience sabr,
00:40:42.19\00:40:44.89
can you say amen to that?
00:40:44.90\00:40:46.68
The Lord sees us
not as we always are,
00:40:46.69\00:40:50.13
but as we can become.
00:40:50.14\00:40:52.54
And I've learned
as I've traveled,
00:40:52.55\00:40:55.13
as I've been able to
sing, and as I've been able
00:40:55.14\00:40:57.34
to go back to New York and look
at my roots over and over again.
00:40:57.35\00:41:00.63
I've come to discover that,
if you have to make a choice,
00:41:00.64\00:41:04.79
the world has a lot to offer,
00:41:04.80\00:41:06.53
but friends when it
comes to making a choice.
00:41:06.54\00:41:09.32
Tonight this song says it
best for me "Give Me Jesus."
00:41:09.33\00:41:13.61
In the morning, when I rise
00:41:25.06\00:41:30.77
In the morning, when I rise
00:41:30.78\00:41:36.59
In the morning, when I rise
00:41:36.60\00:41:42.13
Give me Jesus Give me Jesus
00:41:42.14\00:41:56.55
Give me Jesus
00:41:56.56\00:42:01.93
You can have all the world
00:42:01.94\00:42:07.68
Give me Jesus
00:42:07.69\00:42:15.51
And when I am
alone Oh when I am alone
00:42:23.03\00:42:34.63
When I am alone
00:42:34.64\00:42:39.15
Give me Jesus Give me Jesus
00:42:39.16\00:42:53.74
Give me Jesus
00:42:53.75\00:42:59.01
You can have all the world
00:42:59.02\00:43:04.74
Give me Jesus
00:43:04.75\00:43:11.73
And when it's time to
die Oh when it's time to die
00:44:00.23\00:44:11.77
When it's time to die
00:44:11.78\00:44:16.25
Give me Jesus Give me Jesus
00:44:16.26\00:44:30.86
Give me Jesus
00:44:30.87\00:44:36.15
You can have all the world
00:44:36.16\00:44:44.67
You can have all the world
00:44:44.68\00:44:53.28
You can have all the world
00:44:53.29\00:45:00.85
Give me Jesus
00:45:00.86\00:45:11.32
Amen.
00:45:18.13\00:45:21.55
Last Tuesday evening
when I was at the gym at 3ABN,
00:45:21.56\00:45:27.72
playing basketball,
getting my weekly exercise,
00:45:27.73\00:45:31.00
my wife keeps telling me
00:45:31.01\00:45:32.17
I need to include a
treadmill in that somewhere.
00:45:32.18\00:45:35.36
She exercises
everyday, runs on a treadmill
00:45:35.37\00:45:37.73
and does all that
aerobic stuff and,
00:45:37.74\00:45:39.87
but I kind of
limited to one day a week.
00:45:39.88\00:45:42.79
And on Tuesday
evening when I was at the gym
00:45:42.80\00:45:45.97
getting exercise, as I
was playing in my mind,
00:45:45.98\00:45:50.17
I was thinking about phone calls
I had made two days before,
00:45:50.18\00:45:55.09
and the day before,
and three days before
00:45:55.10\00:45:57.76
calling my dad in New York City,
00:45:57.77\00:46:00.17
knowing that the
last time my wife and I
00:46:00.18\00:46:02.39
had seen him was in December.
00:46:02.40\00:46:03.96
We went there to
spend Christmas with him.
00:46:03.97\00:46:06.25
And that was the first
time that my sister, my dad,
00:46:06.26\00:46:09.67
my niece, my grandniece and my
wife and my dad were together.
00:46:09.68\00:46:13.57
In all the years I knew him,
00:46:13.58\00:46:14.89
since I met him in
1971 for the first time.
00:46:14.90\00:46:19.24
And I knew he had been fighting
with some kind of disease
00:46:19.25\00:46:22.84
but being the
private man that he was,
00:46:22.85\00:46:25.19
he would not
tell us what it was.
00:46:25.20\00:46:27.52
I know that he
smoked, I know that he drank,
00:46:27.53\00:46:29.72
he was a jazz
musician in New York City.
00:46:29.73\00:46:32.35
He had been playing
jazz music since 19,
00:46:32.36\00:46:34.76
since he was about 16 years old,
00:46:34.77\00:46:37.08
about 52 years, 62 years ago,
and that was his whole life.
00:46:37.09\00:46:42.75
Duke Ellington, Dizzy
Gillespie, Thelonious Monk,
00:46:42.76\00:46:45.47
you name all the jazz
greats, he's played with them.
00:46:45.48\00:46:48.12
And just looking at his life,
00:46:48.13\00:46:50.79
for all the years
I kept saying dad,
00:46:50.80\00:46:53.53
you play a really nice trumpet,
00:46:53.54\00:46:55.80
but I'm looking
forward to the day
00:46:55.81\00:46:58.64
that you can play your
trumpet just for the Lord.
00:46:58.65\00:47:02.49
I've been praying about
that and hoping for that
00:47:02.50\00:47:04.48
and he was married for,
00:47:04.49\00:47:07.11
I think about at least
20 years to a Jewish lady,
00:47:07.12\00:47:10.41
my stepmother, her
name is Leslie Gourse,
00:47:10.42\00:47:12.68
very prolific writer for
jazz magazines, and books.
00:47:12.69\00:47:15.52
She wrote books for
people like Nat King Cole,
00:47:15.53\00:47:18.23
Sarah Vaughan, Wynton
Marsalis, Aretha Franklin
00:47:18.24\00:47:21.10
the list goes on and on and on.
00:47:21.11\00:47:23.27
And living in
that kind of lifestyle
00:47:23.28\00:47:24.80
which is pretty much
a nocturnal lifestyle,
00:47:24.81\00:47:26.79
they wakeup when
the sun is going down,
00:47:26.80\00:47:28.98
and go to sleep when
the sun is coming up.
00:47:28.99\00:47:31.43
And I saw that life taking
its toll on my dad's life,
00:47:31.44\00:47:34.49
and there he was
sitting on the couch
00:47:34.50\00:47:36.58
in my sister's living room.
00:47:36.59\00:47:38.66
And I said, dad don't you
think now that your mom is gone,
00:47:38.67\00:47:43.22
she died in 2004,
his wife died in 2004,
00:47:43.23\00:47:46.90
and his cat died in 2004.
00:47:46.91\00:47:50.06
And I said, dad don't you think
00:47:50.07\00:47:51.35
it's time to hang up
your trumpet and come in,
00:47:51.36\00:47:53.05
just relax for
the rest of your life,
00:47:53.06\00:47:54.73
come and live with my wife and
I there in Southern Illinois,
00:47:54.74\00:47:57.20
it's nice and quite.
00:47:57.21\00:47:58.58
You can get up every morning
00:47:58.59\00:47:59.81
and be out in nature
in Southern Illinois.
00:47:59.82\00:48:02.05
But he was a bona
fide New York City,
00:48:02.06\00:48:04.76
he lived in the
village of Manhattan downtown.
00:48:04.77\00:48:08.10
He can't think of anything else,
00:48:08.11\00:48:09.37
but blowing his
trumpet, and he said to me,
00:48:09.38\00:48:11.51
I've got play my
trumpet what else is there.
00:48:11.52\00:48:14.84
And that was in December,
00:48:14.85\00:48:17.09
well I kept in touch
with dad and Tuesday evening
00:48:17.10\00:48:19.03
when I got home from gymnasium,
00:48:19.04\00:48:20.37
call him again, because he
had been sick and I had said,
00:48:20.38\00:48:23.96
dad how are you
doing, and he kept saying,
00:48:23.97\00:48:25.21
I need to rest, I want to rest.
00:48:25.22\00:48:27.73
And I got home about 9 o'clock
or so Tuesday night called him
00:48:27.74\00:48:31.80
could not get
through and I felt uneasy,
00:48:31.81\00:48:33.55
and I said you know what,
I think something is wrong.
00:48:33.56\00:48:37.11
And I call the police
there in Downtown Manhattan,
00:48:37.12\00:48:39.34
they went to his apartment,
00:48:39.35\00:48:40.92
and found him
already dead in his bathroom.
00:48:40.93\00:48:44.91
My sister arrived working for
00:48:44.92\00:48:46.67
the emergency
medical technicians
00:48:46.68\00:48:49.08
for the fire
department in New York City.
00:48:49.09\00:48:50.51
She received the phone call
00:48:50.52\00:48:52.62
and turned her ambulance
lights on and made her way
00:48:52.63\00:48:54.87
to the apartment to find him
00:48:54.88\00:48:56.22
and she called me and she
says, you know what the news is?
00:48:56.23\00:48:58.08
I said, no I don't know
what is, what is it tell me?
00:48:58.09\00:49:00.88
And she said dad passed away.
00:49:00.89\00:49:04.63
Next day my wife and I
made our way to New York City
00:49:04.64\00:49:06.74
to put together the pieces of
a man that I knew for 35 years,
00:49:06.75\00:49:13.19
but still he was like
a song without lyrics,
00:49:13.20\00:49:16.44
I didn't really
know him that very well.
00:49:16.45\00:49:19.40
And there I
stood in his apartment
00:49:19.41\00:49:20.71
trying to piece
his life together,
00:49:20.72\00:49:22.12
trying to put
together a funeral program,
00:49:22.13\00:49:24.90
and trying to
figure out what do you say,
00:49:24.91\00:49:28.47
when, in my mind I knew
that he lived for the world,
00:49:28.48\00:49:32.74
and I was hoping
way down in my heart,
00:49:32.75\00:49:34.76
and my soul somewhere that
00:49:34.77\00:49:36.72
there was some Jesus in there.
00:49:36.73\00:49:38.72
And I got so excited when
he said to my wife, and I,
00:49:42.25\00:49:48.44
when our phone
calls would be ending,
00:49:48.45\00:49:49.73
and he'd say God bless you.
00:49:49.74\00:49:52.26
And he hadn't said
that most of my life,
00:49:52.27\00:49:53.83
and I said
honey, that's a start,
00:49:53.84\00:49:55.49
that's a glimmer of hope.
00:49:55.50\00:49:58.04
And he'd introduce
me as before he knew
00:49:58.05\00:50:00.22
that I was a pastor,
he though I was priest.
00:50:00.23\00:50:03.49
And he was say
meet my son, the father.
00:50:03.50\00:50:07.00
And I say, no dad, I'm
not a priest, I'm a pastor.
00:50:07.01\00:50:09.63
But he'd always introduced
me, my son, the father,
00:50:09.64\00:50:12.94
and I said its okay.
00:50:12.95\00:50:14.15
And when I pray
he get uncomfortable,
00:50:14.16\00:50:16.31
sometimes he'd close one
eye and open it up again look
00:50:16.32\00:50:19.21
and sometimes he
left his eyes open,
00:50:19.22\00:50:21.11
my wife would open her
to see if he closed his.
00:50:21.12\00:50:26.53
But there we stood last Monday,
actually Monday of this week,
00:50:26.54\00:50:33.05
there we stood
in Greenwich Village
00:50:33.06\00:50:35.67
in Downtown, New York City
with the funeral pile filled
00:50:35.68\00:50:38.72
with musicians of every fabric,
of every character trait.
00:50:38.73\00:50:44.75
And I said, what
do I say to people
00:50:44.76\00:50:46.69
they just really don't
talk a whole lot about God,
00:50:46.70\00:50:50.60
don't talk about
Jesus a whole lot?
00:50:50.61\00:50:55.03
And the Lord gave me a
story to communicate to them.
00:50:55.04\00:50:58.09
I said you know what, look
at all the pictures of my dad,
00:50:58.10\00:51:00.23
all the magazine
articles, all the accolades,
00:51:00.24\00:51:02.27
all the thing said about him,
all the people he's played with,
00:51:02.28\00:51:05.09
all the things that you
could remember about him.
00:51:05.10\00:51:08.56
But look at all those
pictures I said to them,
00:51:08.57\00:51:10.19
and not anyone of those
could recommend him to eternity.
00:51:10.20\00:51:13.18
Not anyone of those could be
00:51:13.19\00:51:14.48
the reason why
he saved eternally.
00:51:14.49\00:51:18.51
But that hopefully
in his private life,
00:51:18.52\00:51:20.28
there was Jesus
in there somewhere.
00:51:20.29\00:51:23.18
And I say but for those
of you sitting here tonight,
00:51:23.19\00:51:25.93
it doesn't make sense
to live a life and not know
00:51:25.94\00:51:28.87
where your destination is.
00:51:28.88\00:51:29.92
And I use the story
of a rich fool, who,
00:51:29.93\00:51:32.69
the king said to him one day,
00:51:32.70\00:51:34.57
I need to be cheered up
00:51:34.58\00:51:36.63
come and dance for
me and make me laugh.
00:51:36.64\00:51:40.31
And this rich fool
came and dance for the king
00:51:40.32\00:51:42.48
and he put a ring on his finger,
00:51:42.49\00:51:44.07
and he said the day
that you find a person
00:51:44.08\00:51:46.27
more foolish than
yourself, give him the ring.
00:51:46.28\00:51:50.53
One day the king took in sick,
00:51:50.54\00:51:54.02
and he called all the
court jester to cheer him up,
00:51:54.03\00:51:56.55
and he said dance for
me, bring back my joy,
00:51:56.56\00:52:01.07
and he dance, and he made jokes,
00:52:01.08\00:52:02.94
but the king
could not be cheered up.
00:52:02.95\00:52:04.67
And the court jester said
to him king what's the matter,
00:52:04.68\00:52:08.22
he said I'm about to take a
journey where are you going,
00:52:08.23\00:52:10.23
he said I don't know.
00:52:10.24\00:52:12.25
He said have you made
preparation for your journey?
00:52:12.26\00:52:14.05
He said I haven't.
00:52:14.06\00:52:15.21
He said do you know
your final destination?
00:52:15.22\00:52:17.27
I don't.
00:52:17.28\00:52:18.56
And the court jester took of
his hat with his six tentacles
00:52:18.57\00:52:21.45
and he grasp
the hand of the king
00:52:21.46\00:52:24.03
and put the ring on the
king's finger and he said,
00:52:24.04\00:52:27.26
I finally found a
greater fool than I.
00:52:27.27\00:52:30.83
And I said to those
people sitting there that day,
00:52:30.84\00:52:33.24
as the Lord allowed His spirit
to flow through me into them,
00:52:33.25\00:52:37.79
and they were wiping their eyes,
00:52:37.80\00:52:40.02
tears were
flowing from their eyes.
00:52:40.03\00:52:43.70
As I said think about
00:52:43.71\00:52:44.87
the reality of the
end of your journey.
00:52:44.88\00:52:48.74
And after the service was done,
00:52:48.75\00:52:49.87
a lady came to me very
well clad and said to me.
00:52:49.88\00:52:53.40
You know that how
we came here today,
00:52:53.41\00:52:55.49
and how we got together
may have been an accident,
00:52:55.50\00:52:58.07
but that we came together
00:52:58.08\00:52:59.60
because of your
dad is not an accident.
00:52:59.61\00:53:01.83
And she said to me
today you've allowed me
00:53:01.84\00:53:04.66
to think about the
things that really matter.
00:53:04.67\00:53:08.55
And she shook my
hand and then said
00:53:08.56\00:53:10.81
your dad will be proud of you.
00:53:10.82\00:53:12.87
Well, tonight my dad
is resting in his grave.
00:53:12.88\00:53:17.13
All I have of his life is
the remnant of all his articles,
00:53:17.14\00:53:21.10
and his pictures
thousands of them,
00:53:21.11\00:53:23.64
and his trumpet
that I carried with me,
00:53:23.65\00:53:27.19
and brought it home.
00:53:27.20\00:53:29.91
And right now friends I
think about my four parents,
00:53:29.92\00:53:36.17
the two people that raise me,
00:53:36.18\00:53:38.21
my mother who I met in
'84 for the first time,
00:53:38.22\00:53:40.31
and my dad I met him in 1971.
00:53:40.32\00:53:43.68
And if my dad had given his
life to the Lord, my mom did,
00:53:43.69\00:53:49.98
the lady who raised me did.
00:53:49.99\00:53:52.41
And I know that tonight there
are some of you sitting here
00:53:52.42\00:53:54.25
thinking about
those who are resting
00:53:54.26\00:53:55.81
in the Lord even tonight.
00:53:55.82\00:53:58.38
And I believe that
if he could have said
00:53:58.39\00:54:00.71
something to me as a Christian,
00:54:00.72\00:54:04.14
this song embodies that message
00:54:04.15\00:54:05.73
and has become
kind of like my montre,
00:54:05.74\00:54:08.18
if I could
loosely use that word.
00:54:08.19\00:54:10.16
Because nothing
is going to matter
00:54:10.17\00:54:12.31
unless when that day
comes that we'll just be there.
00:54:12.32\00:54:16.99
So tonight, I want
you to listen carefully
00:54:17.00\00:54:18.94
to the words in the song,
00:54:18.95\00:54:20.69
because nothing matters friends,
the songs, the trumpets,
00:54:20.70\00:54:23.79
the sermons nothing
really amounts to anything,
00:54:23.80\00:54:27.17
if when the time
comes that we are not there.
00:54:27.18\00:54:29.60
Cradled in my arms I held you
00:54:47.66\00:54:54.30
And I loved you more
with each day passing by
00:54:54.31\00:55:02.20
Sharing joy, sharing pain
00:55:02.21\00:55:06.74
Through the
sunshine and the rain
00:55:06.75\00:55:11.31
I can't believe
it's time to say good bye
00:55:11.32\00:55:19.59
I don't know what
the future brings you
00:55:19.60\00:55:26.28
But I hope that you'll
keep Heaven as your goal
00:55:26.29\00:55:34.22
For I've taught you how to pray
00:55:34.23\00:55:38.42
I made sure you knew the way
00:55:38.43\00:55:42.34
So remember my
request before you go
00:55:42.35\00:55:49.84
Just be there
00:55:49.85\00:55:54.22
When we finally make it home
00:55:54.23\00:55:58.19
And when we
stand before the throne
00:55:58.20\00:56:02.13
Just be there
00:56:02.14\00:56:06.14
When I turn around to see
00:56:06.15\00:56:10.29
If you'll be standing next to me
00:56:10.30\00:56:17.87
Just be there
00:56:17.88\00:56:23.96
I sang this to that
crowd that night, listen.
00:56:32.38\00:56:35.51
It's not an easy
road you're traveling
00:56:35.52\00:56:42.07
But every place that
you go Jesus has been
00:56:42.08\00:56:49.80
So when you find
you've made a turn
00:56:49.81\00:56:54.61
Forgetting what you've learned
00:56:54.62\00:56:59.39
You may have to
start all over again
00:56:59.40\00:57:07.43
It's not an easy
load you're bearing
00:57:07.44\00:57:13.93
But the trials of your
faith will make you strong
00:57:13.94\00:57:22.21
Facing danger unaware
00:57:22.22\00:57:26.30
He won't allow
what we can't bear
00:57:26.31\00:57:30.05
So my prayer is that
your faith will lead you home
00:57:30.06\00:57:37.49
To just be there
00:57:37.50\00:57:42.03
When we finally make it home
00:57:42.04\00:57:46.04
And when we
stand before the throne
00:57:46.05\00:57:49.85
Just be there
00:57:49.86\00:57:54.06
So when I turn around to see
00:57:54.07\00:57:58.19
If you'll be standing next to me
00:57:58.20\00:58:05.85
Just be there
00:58:05.86\00:58:14.05
Will you be standing next to me
00:58:14.06\00:58:22.30
Just be there
00:58:22.31\00:58:29.34
Just be there
00:58:29.35\00:58:40.81