Music playing... 00:00:01.96\00:00:11.11 More music... 00:00:11.14\00:00:20.25 music... 00:00:20.28\00:00:27.56 some more music 00:00:27.59\00:00:32.73 music 00:00:32.76\00:00:41.40 On the Road... 00:00:41.47\00:00:53.98 ASI Tampa, Florida Friday Morning, Jerry Page 00:00:54.02\00:01:01.16 I would like to introduce to you today the Speakers that we have 00:01:01.19\00:01:07.03 Elder Jerry Page is President of the 00:01:07.06\00:01:10.27 Central California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 00:01:10.30\00:01:13.23 and his wife, Janet, is Ladies Ministries Director 00:01:13.27\00:01:18.27 and also Prayer Director 00:01:18.31\00:01:20.28 for the Central California Conference 00:01:20.31\00:01:22.28 I want to tell you a little story that happened in 2008 00:01:22.34\00:01:28.58 it was soon to be time for the Mid-America Union ASI Retreat 00:01:28.62\00:01:33.02 in fact, it was planning time for that Retreat, 00:01:33.05\00:01:35.72 I had the duty of finding the Speakers for the Retreat 00:01:35.79\00:01:42.00 we decided for the location to be 00:01:42.03\00:01:44.43 at Glacier View Ranch in Colorado, 00:01:44.47\00:01:46.77 we had formulated a list of excellent speakers 00:01:46.80\00:01:52.31 and we knew that whoever spoke, would do a very good job 00:01:52.34\00:01:55.81 but I felt the responsibility of praying very hard 00:01:55.84\00:01:59.85 that God would bring to us the person, 00:01:59.88\00:02:02.92 the exact person that would be needed 00:02:02.95\00:02:05.92 for the people that would be coming to that retreat. 00:02:05.95\00:02:08.66 We wanted the people to feel like 00:02:08.69\00:02:11.53 that they received a specially close walk with God 00:02:11.56\00:02:14.66 while they were there and when they left 00:02:14.70\00:02:17.07 that they would know that they had been drawn closer 00:02:17.10\00:02:19.97 to Jesus as a result of being at Glacier View, 00:02:20.04\00:02:24.61 before I asked any Speaker 00:02:24.67\00:02:27.78 I would go to my list and I would pray, 00:02:27.81\00:02:30.08 "Dear Lord, you know who the Speaker should be" 00:02:30.11\00:02:32.65 and as I would go to the phone 00:02:32.68\00:02:34.65 to place the call, I would pray again, 00:02:34.68\00:02:37.52 some Speakers said they couldn't make it 00:02:37.59\00:02:40.32 and I understood that that wasn't God's plan for us 00:02:40.36\00:02:44.89 pretty soon the list was... the Program was fulfilled 00:02:44.93\00:02:50.17 and it was time for Glacier View Ranch ASI Convention 00:02:50.20\00:02:55.37 to take place in about four weeks 00:02:55.40\00:02:57.14 I got a telephone call one day and it was from our Key Speaker 00:02:57.17\00:03:01.61 and he said, "I'm sorry to tell you 00:03:01.64\00:03:03.11 that I will not be able to come to Glacier View Ranch 00:03:03.14\00:03:05.61 I have another commitment that I didn't realize 00:03:05.68\00:03:08.35 and I won't be able to come. " 00:03:08.38\00:03:09.85 I remember, myself, thinking, "Well, God is in control 00:03:09.88\00:03:14.06 and whatever He thinks is best is fine 00:03:14.09\00:03:16.26 and He'll work something out" 00:03:16.32\00:03:17.66 I hung up the phone and when I left my office 00:03:17.69\00:03:21.06 and started to drive home, 00:03:21.10\00:03:22.43 I remember, I got this feeling of despair that came over me 00:03:22.46\00:03:25.73 and I thought, "3 and a 1/2 to 4 weeks 00:03:25.77\00:03:27.54 until the Glacier View Event for Mid-America ASI Chapter 00:03:27.57\00:03:31.31 and we don't have a Keynote Speaker, 00:03:31.34\00:03:32.84 Lord, what are we going to do?" 00:03:32.87\00:03:34.34 and about that time, I got this overpowering thought 00:03:34.38\00:03:37.88 that came within me and it was only four words, 00:03:37.91\00:03:40.28 and it was, "Don't you trust me?" 00:03:40.32\00:03:42.38 and I thought, "Yes Lord, I do trust you" 00:03:42.42\00:03:45.49 and I felt peaceful and I felt very curious 00:03:45.52\00:03:48.56 I wondered what God is going to do 00:03:48.59\00:03:49.99 I know He has a special plan for Mid-America ASI Retreat, 00:03:50.03\00:03:53.33 and so the next morning I got my list out 00:03:53.36\00:03:56.97 and I started going over it, who hadn't I contacted 00:03:57.00\00:03:59.60 and I prayed and I said, "Lord, please lead who 00:03:59.63\00:04:02.20 should answer our response and who should be the Speaker" 00:04:02.24\00:04:05.47 and so the names of Jerry and Janet Page were on the list 00:04:05.51\00:04:08.94 and I called Elder Page and he responded and called back 00:04:08.98\00:04:12.38 he was very, very kind, 00:04:12.41\00:04:14.62 and he told me a little bit about himself, 00:04:14.65\00:04:16.79 and he said that Colorado was his home 00:04:16.82\00:04:18.92 and he liked to come but he had a heavy schedule 00:04:18.95\00:04:21.02 and didn't know if he'd make it, 00:04:21.09\00:04:22.42 but he said, "Talk to my wife, 00:04:22.46\00:04:24.39 really she's the one who makes the appointments 00:04:24.43\00:04:26.36 for our prayer conferences" 00:04:26.39\00:04:27.80 so she called and I talked to her and she said, 00:04:27.83\00:04:30.87 "Well our son is coming home that weekend 00:04:30.90\00:04:33.90 I don't know if it would work" 00:04:33.94\00:04:35.44 she said, "I need to pray with my husband" 00:04:35.50\00:04:38.14 and there was a group of other people that pray 00:04:38.17\00:04:40.41 when it's time for us to accept Prayer appointments 00:04:40.44\00:04:43.48 for the Prayer Seminars 00:04:43.55\00:04:44.88 and so she said, "I'll call you back tomorrow" 00:04:44.91\00:04:48.42 so the next day she called back and she said, 00:04:48.48\00:04:52.02 "My husband and I prayed and we felt very impressed 00:04:52.05\00:04:55.92 that we should come to the Mid-America ASI Retreat" 00:04:55.96\00:05:00.26 as time passed and it was time for the Retreat, 00:05:00.30\00:05:03.97 I wondered within myself what God was going to do 00:05:04.03\00:05:07.67 we got to the Retreat, 00:05:07.70\00:05:09.90 there were probably about 80 people that came 00:05:09.94\00:05:12.71 I was almost embarrassed that the attendance wasn't larger, 00:05:12.74\00:05:16.51 we were placed in a little room with a nice stone fireplace 00:05:16.54\00:05:20.28 and the snow was gently coming down, 00:05:20.32\00:05:21.95 and when it was time for Elder Page to get up, 00:05:21.98\00:05:25.39 he had a simple format, he told about prayer, 00:05:25.42\00:05:28.62 and he told about stories of answered prayer, 00:05:28.66\00:05:31.86 and he praised God and then we prayed, 00:05:31.89\00:05:34.80 and when it was time for his wife to get up, 00:05:34.83\00:05:37.30 she did the same thing, 00:05:37.33\00:05:38.67 she told simple stories of how 00:05:38.70\00:05:41.20 God had answered wonderful prayers 00:05:41.24\00:05:42.84 that seemed impossible for them to solve 00:05:42.90\00:05:46.14 but God answered the prayers and then we praised God together 00:05:46.17\00:05:50.15 and then we prayed, and this continued 00:05:50.21\00:05:52.95 and it continued for two or three sessions 00:05:52.98\00:05:55.72 and I remember on Sabbath morning 00:05:55.75\00:05:58.25 we turned the Sabbath School over to them, 00:05:58.29\00:06:00.06 and then the Motel-room-type hallway 00:06:00.09\00:06:03.76 that led right outside the meeting room 00:06:03.79\00:06:06.80 we gathered together about 12 people 00:06:06.83\00:06:09.76 that were lay people there from the convention 00:06:09.80\00:06:12.33 and we got down on our knees in that room 00:06:12.37\00:06:13.94 and closed the door and we prayed 00:06:13.97\00:06:15.34 "Lord you've done some wonderful things here, 00:06:15.40\00:06:17.21 this is like a mini-Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is here 00:06:17.24\00:06:20.81 and we praise you for it dear God, 00:06:20.88\00:06:22.61 you know what happened last night, 00:06:22.64\00:06:24.55 you know that we felt your power 00:06:24.58\00:06:26.41 we know what happened during the Sabbath School hour 00:06:26.45\00:06:28.48 and how we felt your power, 00:06:28.52\00:06:29.85 oh Lord, please continue during the church service 00:06:29.88\00:06:32.45 and please continue during the afternoon session 00:06:32.49\00:06:34.79 so that when people leave here 00:06:34.82\00:06:36.56 they will feel like they've been with Jesus" 00:06:36.59\00:06:38.36 and I'm here to tell you that God continued to bless 00:06:38.39\00:06:42.36 and any one of you that may have been at that Retreat 00:06:42.40\00:06:46.30 can testify that God was present 00:06:46.33\00:06:48.50 that the Holy Spirit was there 00:06:48.57\00:06:50.61 and that we left feeling like 00:06:50.64\00:06:52.57 we had been drawn closer to Jesus 00:06:52.64\00:06:54.51 God used the Pages that weekend for a special purpose 00:06:54.54\00:06:58.68 to lead us closer to Him, 00:06:58.71\00:07:00.48 and I'm here to tell you this morning 00:07:00.52\00:07:03.65 that He will do the same thing this morning. 00:07:03.69\00:07:07.16 We serve an awesome God and He uses human people 00:07:07.19\00:07:10.63 to bring other people closer to Him, 00:07:10.66\00:07:12.76 and we will be blessed 00:07:12.79\00:07:14.70 by hearing the Pages, shall we pray? 00:07:14.73\00:07:16.97 Our dear mighty heavenly Father, 00:07:17.00\00:07:20.67 we do thank you 00:07:20.74\00:07:22.07 that we can come together right now 00:07:22.10\00:07:24.41 we pray for every person that's here, 00:07:24.44\00:07:26.78 we pray for every heart that needs to be strengthened, 00:07:26.81\00:07:30.88 dear Lord, help us to learn more about you, 00:07:30.91\00:07:33.92 help us to learn more about prayer, 00:07:33.95\00:07:36.45 I pray that you'll be with Janet Page 00:07:36.48\00:07:38.89 and that you'll be with Jerry Page 00:07:38.92\00:07:40.26 this morning as they present, 00:07:40.29\00:07:41.66 I pray that you will touch their lips 00:07:41.69\00:07:44.06 and help them Lord that they can convey their ideas 00:07:44.09\00:07:47.33 in a way that will bring each person present 00:07:47.36\00:07:50.07 to a closer relationship with you, 00:07:50.10\00:07:53.07 and may we leave this room 00:07:53.10\00:07:54.44 feeling like we have been with Jesus 00:07:54.47\00:07:56.24 thank you so much, Amen. 00:07:56.27\00:07:58.87 Special song... 00:07:58.91\00:08:04.21 Rafael Scarfullery on guitar... 00:08:04.25\00:08:07.62 Hover o'er me, Holy Spirit, 00:08:07.65\00:08:10.92 Bath my trembling heart and brow; 00:08:10.95\00:08:16.22 Fill me with Thy hallowed presence, 00:08:16.26\00:08:21.46 Come, O come and fill me now. 00:08:21.50\00:08:27.50 Fill me now, fill me now, 00:08:27.54\00:08:33.74 Jesus, come and fill me now; 00:08:33.78\00:08:39.91 Fill me with Thy hallowed presence, 00:08:39.95\00:08:46.69 Come, O come and fill me now. 00:08:46.72\00:08:53.56 fill me now... 00:08:53.60\00:08:59.03 come and fill me now... 00:08:59.07\00:09:05.51 Thou canst fill me, gracious Spirit, 00:09:05.54\00:09:11.25 Though I cannot tell Thee how; 00:09:11.28\00:09:16.05 But I need Thee, greatly need Thee, 00:09:16.08\00:09:22.62 Come, O come and fill me now. 00:09:22.66\00:09:29.10 Fill me now, fill me now, 00:09:29.16\00:09:35.37 Jesus, come and fill me now; 00:09:35.40\00:09:41.54 Fill me with Thy hallowed presence, 00:09:41.58\00:09:48.48 Come, O come and fill me now. 00:09:48.52\00:09:56.29 fill me now... 00:09:56.32\00:10:00.83 come and fill me now... 00:10:00.86\00:10:08.50 I am weakness, full of weakness, 00:10:08.54\00:10:15.21 At Thy sacred feet I bow; 00:10:15.24\00:10:19.91 Blest, divine, eternal Spirit, 00:10:19.95\00:10:27.56 Fill with power, and fill me now. 00:10:27.59\00:10:34.26 Fill me now, fill me now, 00:10:34.30\00:10:42.00 Jesus, come and fill me now; 00:10:42.04\00:10:49.54 Fill me with Thy hallowed presence, 00:10:49.58\00:10:55.58 Come, O come and fill me now. 00:10:55.65\00:11:04.53 fill me now... 00:11:04.56\00:11:11.50 come and fill me now... 00:11:11.53\00:11:19.97 Cleanse and comfort, bless and save me, 00:11:20.01\00:11:27.42 Bathe, Oh bathe my heart and brow; 00:11:27.45\00:11:33.62 Thou art comforting and saving, 00:11:33.66\00:11:39.79 Thou art sweetly filling now. 00:11:39.83\00:11:46.67 Fill me now, fill me now, 00:11:46.74\00:11:53.58 Jesus, come and fill me now, 00:11:53.61\00:12:00.42 Fill me with Thy hallowed presence, 00:12:00.45\00:12:08.82 Come, O come and fill me now. 00:12:08.86\00:12:16.77 Jesus, come and fill me now. 00:12:16.80\00:12:24.11 Jesus, come and fill me now... 00:12:24.14\00:12:31.38 fill me now... 00:12:31.41\00:12:37.52 Amen... 00:12:37.55\00:12:43.36 clapping... 00:12:43.39\00:12:49.13 Elder page walking to pulpit. 00:12:49.16\00:12:56.54 Praise the Lord for beautiful music 00:12:56.57\00:13:00.24 Amen... Amen... 00:13:00.28\00:13:02.24 What a privilege it is for Janet and I to at 00:13:02.28\00:13:06.75 the ASI Convention again, 00:13:06.82\00:13:08.15 it's been a blessing to us so many times in our lives 00:13:08.18\00:13:10.45 and to have the privilege today 00:13:10.49\00:13:12.29 of sharing a little of our testimony with you 00:13:12.32\00:13:14.22 is a great honor 00:13:14.26\00:13:15.59 and we just pray that the Holy Spirit will be here 00:13:15.62\00:13:18.83 and do in all of us what he wants to do today 00:13:18.86\00:13:22.06 we're hoping that He'll speak to our hearts as well. 00:13:22.10\00:13:24.93 So I'd like to just begin with it if I can 00:13:24.97\00:13:26.87 and we'll share a little more later 00:13:26.94\00:13:29.44 about how ASI has become one of the great waymarkers 00:13:29.47\00:13:33.38 and milestones in our own family's journey, 00:13:33.41\00:13:35.94 our own ministry journey lately, 00:13:35.98\00:13:37.85 but right now I just want to ask you 00:13:37.88\00:13:39.95 to pray with me, pray for the Holy Spirit 00:13:39.98\00:13:42.35 to speak to your hearts, pray silently 00:13:42.38\00:13:44.69 and just ask Him to use Janet and I as we talk today too, 00:13:44.72\00:13:47.16 and want to be a blessing 00:13:47.19\00:13:48.52 and want to get out of the way so He can use us, 00:13:48.56\00:13:50.39 let's pray together. 00:13:50.43\00:13:59.10 Praying silently... 00:13:59.13\00:14:06.68 Lord we are so thankful for all of your promises 00:14:06.71\00:14:10.81 Luke 11 says, "Whenever we ask 00:14:10.85\00:14:13.52 for the Holy Spirit, He comes, He speaks to us, 00:14:13.55\00:14:16.35 He gives us what we need, sometimes it's comfort, 00:14:16.38\00:14:19.52 sometimes it's rebuke, sometimes it's just teaching, 00:14:19.55\00:14:22.66 but always... it's what we need, 00:14:22.69\00:14:24.43 and we're praying for that today, Lord. 00:14:24.46\00:14:25.93 You know that Janet and I just want to be used 00:14:25.99\00:14:28.06 and lift up Jesus, we thank you so much 00:14:28.10\00:14:30.60 you're such a wonderful God, 00:14:30.63\00:14:31.97 for what you've been doing in our lives, 00:14:32.00\00:14:33.60 to teach us and grow us and 00:14:33.64\00:14:35.34 sometimes dragging us along in our resistance 00:14:35.37\00:14:37.67 in our rebellions but you're such a good God 00:14:37.71\00:14:39.97 so just now, 00:14:40.04\00:14:41.44 drive all the other influences away and use us I pray 00:14:41.48\00:14:43.85 in Jesus' name, Amen. 00:14:43.91\00:14:45.78 Tony Campolo tells an experience in prayer that he had, 00:14:45.81\00:14:53.12 when he went to preach at a Bible College, 00:14:53.15\00:14:54.66 when he got there, he said there were eight guys 00:14:54.69\00:14:57.36 who took him in a back room, circled around him, 00:14:57.39\00:15:00.20 put their hands on his head and they began to pray 00:15:00.23\00:15:02.73 and he said, "That's good, I need all the prayers I can get" 00:15:02.76\00:15:04.83 I hope you're praying over your pastors and your leaders 00:15:04.87\00:15:06.90 and each of you as you're doing things for God too 00:15:06.94\00:15:10.01 but he said, "These guys, they prayed long prayers," 00:15:10.04\00:15:12.17 you know what I mean? 00:15:12.21\00:15:13.54 And he said, as they prayed they went on and on and on... 00:15:13.58\00:15:16.71 and he said, "One guy, he wasn't even praying for me 00:15:16.75\00:15:19.05 he was praying for some guy named Charlie Stoltzfus 00:15:19.11\00:15:21.32 and he said, 'Oh Lord, you know Charlie Stoltzfus 00:15:21.35\00:15:23.45 he lives a mile down the road 00:15:23.49\00:15:25.15 on the right-hand side of that silver trailer 00:15:25.19\00:15:27.06 Lord, he left his wife and his three kids this morning 00:15:27.09\00:15:29.62 step in, intervene Lord, do something, save that family'" 00:15:29.66\00:15:31.79 and he said, every time he'd get done, 00:15:31.86\00:15:33.70 he'd start over and hit it again, 00:15:33.73\00:15:35.46 and every time he'd tell the Lord where he lived 00:15:35.50\00:15:37.17 he said, "You know Charlie, Lord, 00:15:37.23\00:15:38.57 he lives a mile down the road, 00:15:38.60\00:15:39.93 on the right-hand side of that silver trailer... " 00:15:39.97\00:15:41.30 Tony felt like saying, "What do you think, 00:15:41.34\00:15:43.20 He's saying, 'what's that address again' or something?" 00:15:43.24\00:15:46.01 And he said, "But kept doing it, he said, 00:15:46.04\00:15:48.68 'Lord, you know he left his wife 00:15:48.71\00:15:50.05 and his three children this morning 00:15:50.08\00:15:51.41 step in Lord, intervene, do something, save him,'" 00:15:51.45\00:15:53.58 finally he said, he quit 00:15:53.62\00:15:55.58 and they all quit and "I was kind of glad," he said, 00:15:55.65\00:15:57.95 because I don't know if you had eight guys 00:15:57.99\00:15:59.59 praying long prayers, when they get kind of tired 00:15:59.62\00:16:01.59 they lean on your head, so I was glad they all quit. 00:16:01.62\00:16:03.36 But he said, "I went and preached my sermon 00:16:03.39\00:16:05.53 I was getting in my car to drive back to Philadelphia, 00:16:05.56\00:16:09.90 and as I was getting on the freeway, he said, 00:16:09.93\00:16:11.80 there was this guy on-ramp 00:16:11.83\00:16:13.57 with his thumb stuck out hitchhiking... " and he said, 00:16:13.60\00:16:15.04 "I know you're not supposed to pick up hitchhikers, 00:16:15.07\00:16:16.40 because that's dangerous," 00:16:16.44\00:16:17.77 but he said, "You know, I'm a preacher, 00:16:17.81\00:16:19.14 any time I can get a captive audience in my car 00:16:19.17\00:16:21.44 and tell them about Jesus, I do it, so I picked the guy up, 00:16:21.51\00:16:23.55 we're headed down the road, I looked at him and I said, 00:16:23.58\00:16:25.68 'Hi, my name is Tony, what's yours?' 00:16:25.71\00:16:27.05 and he said, 'My name's... '" what do you think? 00:16:27.08\00:16:28.68 'Charlie Stoltzfus... ' 00:16:28.72\00:16:30.52 Tony said, "My eyes got big, I looked at him 00:16:30.55\00:16:32.59 and I got off at the next exit, 00:16:32.62\00:16:34.36 drove across the bridge and began to turn back" 00:16:34.39\00:16:36.83 his eyes got big, 00:16:36.86\00:16:38.19 he plastered himself up against the door and he said, 00:16:38.23\00:16:39.83 "Hey, Mister, where are you taking me?" 00:16:39.86\00:16:41.20 and Tony said, "I'm taking you home" 00:16:41.23\00:16:43.23 and he said, "Why?" 00:16:43.26\00:16:45.53 Tony said, "Because you left your wife 00:16:45.60\00:16:47.24 and your three kids this morning didn't you?" 00:16:47.27\00:16:49.60 And Charlie says, "Yeah, how did you know that?" 00:16:49.64\00:16:51.71 Tony said, "Because God told me" 00:16:51.74\00:16:53.54 you know what, 00:16:53.58\00:16:55.88 I believe the Lord did tell him, what do you say? 00:16:55.91\00:16:57.51 Tony said, "I went back to that exit, 00:16:57.55\00:17:00.25 I drove a mile down the road, and pulled in the driveway 00:17:00.28\00:17:02.12 in front of his silver trailer, that blew his mind... " 00:17:02.15\00:17:03.95 He said, "How did you know I lived here?" 00:17:03.99\00:17:06.79 Tony says, "Because the Lord told me" 00:17:06.82\00:17:08.76 his wife came to the door 00:17:08.79\00:17:10.49 and said, "You're back, you're back" 00:17:10.53\00:17:11.99 so Charlie went up, whispered in her ear 00:17:12.03\00:17:13.50 and pointed at Tony, and her eyes got big, 00:17:13.53\00:17:15.26 and Tony said, "I said to them, 00:17:15.33\00:17:16.67 'Now listen, you two get in that trailer, you sit down, 00:17:16.70\00:17:18.60 and I'm going to talk and you're going to listen'" 00:17:18.63\00:17:19.97 he said, "Man did they listen!" 00:17:20.00\00:17:21.34 he was like, "I was EF Hutton, or God himself, 00:17:21.37\00:17:23.51 that afternoon, 00:17:23.57\00:17:25.54 I was able to lead those two young people to Jesus Christ, 00:17:25.57\00:17:27.58 and that guy is a preacher in California today" 00:17:27.61\00:17:30.21 hallelujah, amen. 00:17:30.25\00:17:31.58 Jeremiah 33:3, if you have your Scriptures 00:17:31.61\00:17:34.25 it's a text that many people call "God's phone number" 00:17:34.28\00:17:37.42 Jeremiah 33:3, what does it say? 00:17:37.45\00:17:40.39 "Call to me" and what? "I will answer you" 00:17:40.42\00:17:44.69 but that doesn't stop there does it? 00:17:44.73\00:17:46.93 and that's really our testimony this morning, 00:17:46.96\00:17:49.36 as Jesus has been dragging us along in a new understanding 00:17:49.40\00:17:53.00 of prayer and intimacy with Him 00:17:53.03\00:17:55.40 and what He wants to do in our lives 00:17:55.44\00:17:56.87 with spiritual revival and reformation. 00:17:56.91\00:17:58.31 We have discovered that it isn't just not about 00:17:58.37\00:18:00.58 getting stuff when you pray... right? 00:18:00.61\00:18:02.28 It isn't just about getting answers 00:18:02.31\00:18:03.91 but it's about the Creator of the universe 00:18:03.95\00:18:06.05 who creates worlds and universes and galaxies with a word 00:18:06.08\00:18:09.65 teaching us and growing us and telling us what He's like, 00:18:09.68\00:18:13.22 amen... sharing His personality 00:18:13.25\00:18:15.66 we get to know Him, what His character is like 00:18:15.69\00:18:18.36 and all of those kinds of things. 00:18:18.39\00:18:19.73 Thank God that when we pray, 00:18:19.76\00:18:22.36 when we talk to Him 00:18:22.40\00:18:23.73 when we just listen, pour our hearts out to Him, 00:18:23.77\00:18:25.73 I was reading this morning the Psalms, 00:18:25.77\00:18:27.10 we just pour our hearts out to God about stuff, 00:18:27.14\00:18:28.60 He tells us what we need to know, 00:18:28.67\00:18:30.84 sometimes it's about our own heart 00:18:30.87\00:18:33.04 and all the troubles there, 00:18:33.07\00:18:34.41 sometimes it's about somebody that we can help 00:18:34.44\00:18:36.21 just like Charlie, right? 00:18:36.24\00:18:37.58 And sometimes when we are praying in groups, 00:18:37.61\00:18:39.25 I've discovered, if we are praying with other people 00:18:39.31\00:18:41.72 who are connected to the Holy Spirit, 00:18:41.75\00:18:43.08 many times God will speak to us through them, doesn't He? 00:18:43.12\00:18:45.82 Give us information we need or minister to one another, 00:18:45.85\00:18:49.26 that's why we become so excited about United Prayer 00:18:49.29\00:18:50.86 as well as our personal devotion life in our walk with God, 00:18:50.89\00:18:53.50 so, I just... I'm here to praise God and thank Him, 00:18:53.53\00:18:57.83 I'll tell you what, Janet and I... 00:18:57.87\00:18:59.20 if you came thinking 00:18:59.23\00:19:00.57 you were going to have an expert presentation 00:19:00.60\00:19:01.94 about prayer you're going to be disappointed, 00:19:01.97\00:19:03.30 because we're not experts in prayer, are you? 00:19:03.34\00:19:05.74 No, we're just on a journey with the rest of you, 00:19:05.77\00:19:08.44 learning, but God is so good, 00:19:08.48\00:19:10.85 He's teaching and growing us 00:19:10.91\00:19:12.25 and so we just share testimony of our struggles... 00:19:12.28\00:19:15.08 our trying to get away from it sometimes, 00:19:15.12\00:19:16.99 all the stuff we have to learn and grow 00:19:17.02\00:19:18.82 and I've just discovered that it affirms 00:19:18.85\00:19:21.16 and many people say, 00:19:21.19\00:19:22.52 "Hey, that's the way the Holy Spirit is teaching me too" 00:19:22.56\00:19:24.69 and it strengthens and helps us as we go along, 00:19:24.73\00:19:27.03 as I look back over my life, in fact, I realize 00:19:27.06\00:19:29.30 how often I've been asleep in my life, 00:19:29.33\00:19:31.67 I was Personal Ministries Director 00:19:31.70\00:19:33.94 in Rocky Mountain Conference for a while, 00:19:33.97\00:19:35.47 and I was up at a meeting in Glacier View Ranch, 00:19:35.50\00:19:38.14 and I was staying in a room, 00:19:38.17\00:19:39.51 Janet wasn't able to be with me 00:19:39.54\00:19:40.88 I was staying in a room with Bob Rice 00:19:40.91\00:19:42.51 who was the Educational Superintendent at that time, 00:19:42.54\00:19:44.48 in the middle of the night I had one of those dreams 00:19:44.51\00:19:46.41 you know what they're like? It was like virtual reality, 00:19:46.48\00:19:48.32 I was just sure that it was my wife, Janet, in the other bed, 00:19:48.35\00:19:50.99 and I got up in the darkness of the night 00:19:51.02\00:19:53.09 and I began to sleepwalk across the room 00:19:53.15\00:19:55.42 towards poor Bob, thinking it was Janet, 00:19:55.46\00:19:57.79 and I ended up standing right over Bob 00:19:57.83\00:19:59.66 on top of the bed looking down at him 00:19:59.69\00:20:01.46 and just then he woke up and looked at me, 00:20:01.50\00:20:03.03 and I woke up and looked at him, 00:20:03.06\00:20:04.70 you know, it was one of those moments in life, 00:20:04.73\00:20:06.10 and I have San Francisco in my Conference 00:20:06.13\00:20:08.30 but that's not what's happening but Bob says, 00:20:08.34\00:20:10.94 Bob says to me, he has a good sense of humor, 00:20:10.97\00:20:13.51 he says, "Jerry, I won't tell a soul" 00:20:13.58\00:20:14.91 and I said, "Bob, I'm going to tell everybody 00:20:14.94\00:20:18.85 before you get a chance," 00:20:18.88\00:20:20.22 and I gathered all the pastors at breakfast 00:20:20.25\00:20:21.68 and I told them about my sleepwalking experience 00:20:21.72\00:20:24.15 but, you know, to me that's metaphor, 00:20:24.19\00:20:26.76 I don't share it just to have you smile but rather 00:20:26.79\00:20:29.66 it's a metaphor of my life, how about you? 00:20:29.69\00:20:32.29 How often I think I'm awake when really I'm asleep? 00:20:32.33\00:20:35.40 God in His mercy has to wake me up all the time, doesn't He you? 00:20:35.43\00:20:39.23 Every day I'm chairing a committee 00:20:39.27\00:20:40.97 He says, "Jerry, you're becoming a bureaucrat again, 00:20:41.00\00:20:42.80 wake up, see with my vision, 00:20:42.87\00:20:44.47 stop just being an Administrator, be my man, 00:20:44.51\00:20:47.08 be alive in me... be filled with the Holy Spirit 00:20:47.11\00:20:49.61 don't run this church humanly, 00:20:49.64\00:20:50.98 run it with the power of the Holy Spirit. " 00:20:51.01\00:20:52.41 I love Mark's sermon yesterday, wasn't that powerful? 00:20:52.45\00:20:55.05 Talking about how... and I just have to say too 00:20:55.08\00:20:57.99 as a church leader, "Forgive us, 00:20:58.02\00:20:59.35 forgive us for trying to run the church by human methods, 00:20:59.39\00:21:02.12 doing things that we're pretty sure 00:21:02.16\00:21:03.76 that we can pull off on our own power," 00:21:03.83\00:21:05.39 we should be praying so big 00:21:05.43\00:21:07.20 that we can't pull it off on our own power 00:21:07.26\00:21:09.03 that only the God of the universe can show He's alive 00:21:09.06\00:21:11.17 and only He will get the glory, amen 00:21:11.23\00:21:12.80 and I hear a lot of testimonies with that kind of thing. 00:21:12.83\00:21:15.50 Eighty-one years old and these meetings... 00:21:15.54\00:21:17.21 what's a steal... last night... 00:21:17.24\00:21:18.57 I mean, I don't know if I'll be doing that at 81... 00:21:18.61\00:21:20.34 but I know some other people 00:21:20.38\00:21:21.71 that are getting up in years doing fantastic things for God, 00:21:21.74\00:21:25.48 anyway I love this Scripture and I won't read it to you from 00:21:25.51\00:21:29.22 I usually use the New King James, 00:21:29.28\00:21:30.75 but I'm going to use the message paraphrase on this 00:21:30.79\00:21:32.39 because I like what it says and think about your own life 00:21:32.42\00:21:34.39 right now whether you're in ministries 00:21:34.42\00:21:35.82 or whether you're doing a career 00:21:35.86\00:21:37.26 or you're trying to be a minister 00:21:37.33\00:21:38.79 while you're doing a career, 00:21:38.83\00:21:40.16 Romans 13 verses 11 and 12, the message paraphrase says this 00:21:40.20\00:21:43.30 "But make sure you don't get so absorbed 00:21:43.33\00:21:45.70 and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations 00:21:45.73\00:21:50.87 that you lose track of the time and doze off oblivious to God 00:21:50.91\00:21:56.04 the night is about over, amen, dawn is about to break 00:21:56.08\00:22:01.35 be up and awake to what God is doing, 00:22:01.38\00:22:03.08 God is putting the finishing touches 00:22:03.12\00:22:04.75 on the salvation work he began, when we first believed 00:22:04.79\00:22:09.22 thank God, He's waking us up all the time. 00:22:09.26\00:22:13.40 What is our greatest need? We know what it is, right? 00:22:13.43\00:22:15.80 What are we told in the Spirit of Prophecy? 00:22:15.83\00:22:17.93 A revival of primitive Godliness is our first and our most urgent 00:22:17.97\00:22:22.44 of all our needs, amen, and as you read on down that page 00:22:22.47\00:22:24.34 it talks about confession, humiliation, seeking God, 00:22:24.37\00:22:27.28 but it talks about prayer 00:22:27.31\00:22:28.74 being the only way to expect a revival. 00:22:28.78\00:22:30.85 So what we're talking about this morning is 00:22:30.88\00:22:32.91 just a thing we've come to find is... 00:22:32.98\00:22:34.68 is God rules in the great controversy, somehow, 00:22:34.72\00:22:37.49 but unleashes His power, 00:22:37.52\00:22:38.92 when we talk to Him, when we ask Him, 00:22:38.95\00:22:40.76 He says, when he was leaving the disciples, John 14:14 to 16, 00:22:40.79\00:22:43.36 he says, "Ask anything in my name, of the father, 00:22:43.39\00:22:45.69 and I will do it to glorify Him and to bear fruit. " 00:22:45.73\00:22:47.96 Ask anything... 00:22:48.03\00:22:50.37 it says it a number of times in those three chapters. 00:22:50.40\00:22:51.97 I'm so weak in faith so many times, 00:22:52.00\00:22:55.20 I look back over my life 00:22:55.24\00:22:57.21 and think of when God first woke me up, 00:22:57.24\00:22:59.37 I guess, is to become a Christian 00:22:59.41\00:23:00.81 I was raised in a good Adventist home, 00:23:00.84\00:23:02.28 and had a dad who was a Publishing Director, 00:23:02.31\00:23:05.71 very loving, Guy Art Page and 00:23:05.75\00:23:07.22 he was always out on the road with the Literature Evangelists, 00:23:07.25\00:23:09.15 my mom was a good lady, both of them have passed now 00:23:09.18\00:23:11.52 I look forward to the resurrection 00:23:11.55\00:23:12.89 but my mom 00:23:12.92\00:23:14.26 had had some stuff in her past 00:23:14.29\00:23:15.92 she was a little more legalistic in her views 00:23:15.96\00:23:17.96 and to her it was about the rules and behavior, you know, 00:23:17.99\00:23:20.53 "Jerry, you know what you ought to be doing" 00:23:20.60\00:23:22.23 and you know, they say, 00:23:22.26\00:23:23.87 "Rules without relationship leads to... " 00:23:23.93\00:23:26.13 what...? can lead to a rebellious heart, 00:23:26.20\00:23:28.10 that's what happened with me, 00:23:28.14\00:23:29.47 and I won't go into all the details this morning 00:23:29.50\00:23:30.84 because I don't want to bore you with all that but... 00:23:30.87\00:23:32.47 that's what happened to me, 00:23:32.51\00:23:33.84 by the time I was late in Grade School, 00:23:33.88\00:23:36.04 I was running with the wrong kids and shoplifting 00:23:36.08\00:23:37.81 then kicked out of few academies and made to leave a college 00:23:37.85\00:23:41.12 even... one of our colleges, but I wanted to be out, 00:23:41.15\00:23:43.55 I wanted to be free of all the rules and the Adventism, 00:23:43.59\00:23:45.99 so if you got... 00:23:46.02\00:23:47.36 this little piece of a talk is about... 00:23:47.39\00:23:48.99 if you got kids, grandkids, relatives, loved ones, 00:23:49.02\00:23:52.99 that haven't come back to Jesus, 00:23:53.03\00:23:54.36 here's what to do, 00:23:54.40\00:23:55.73 now my folks had made mistakes, 00:23:55.76\00:23:57.50 and I was getting raised by the TV too much 00:23:57.53\00:23:59.57 and while they were at the LE Rally 00:23:59.60\00:24:01.30 hearing wonderful testimonies, 00:24:01.34\00:24:02.67 I was chasing the girls around the lake and stuff, you know, 00:24:02.70\00:24:04.61 but God had mercy upon me and on them 00:24:04.64\00:24:08.31 and when they got to the point, 00:24:08.34\00:24:10.01 when I was buying drugs, selling drugs, 00:24:10.05\00:24:11.71 and using them, I was living free, 00:24:11.75\00:24:13.38 and I was on my way towards Law School, 00:24:13.42\00:24:15.18 had everything on the way I thought I wanted it all along, 00:24:15.22\00:24:17.55 but my parents would not let me go, 00:24:17.59\00:24:19.72 and instead of being embarrassed 00:24:19.75\00:24:21.82 about their "preacher kid" that was so rebellious, 00:24:21.86\00:24:23.69 they got everybody they could 00:24:23.73\00:24:25.06 in the middle part of this United States, 00:24:25.09\00:24:26.86 praying for Jerry Page, I didn't have a chance, 00:24:26.90\00:24:29.80 they prayed me miserable, hallelujah. 00:24:29.83\00:24:32.67 Now we can't force our kids to be saved, 00:24:32.70\00:24:34.87 is that right? They have free choice, 00:24:34.90\00:24:36.97 but we sure can make them miserable if need be, amen, 00:24:37.01\00:24:39.21 and my folks got everybody praying for me 00:24:39.24\00:24:41.54 and so when the other kids were enjoying the drug trip, 00:24:41.61\00:24:44.01 I was worried about my heart, something else, 00:24:44.05\00:24:46.08 I said, "Just relax Jerry, so what if you die, 00:24:46.11\00:24:48.12 see what's next... " but it was in me, 00:24:48.15\00:24:49.78 all those Pathfinders and Sabbath Schools seeds 00:24:49.82\00:24:51.79 and all those other things were in there 00:24:51.82\00:24:53.15 and God was watering them 00:24:53.19\00:24:54.66 and so I won't go into all the details 00:24:54.69\00:24:57.43 we'd stolen some Cocaine from a hospital there in Denver, 00:24:57.46\00:25:00.20 and we were selling it on the backstreets of Boulder, 00:25:00.23\00:25:02.86 and we were thinking about using needles 00:25:02.90\00:25:04.60 and we had gone about as far as we could go 00:25:04.63\00:25:06.23 back in 1970 without totally blowing our life away 00:25:06.27\00:25:09.30 one of my friends, a Treasurer's kid, 00:25:09.34\00:25:11.24 died in a drug deal in Lancers Park?, 00:25:11.27\00:25:13.11 and others were getting into that level, 00:25:13.14\00:25:15.11 but we had such a bad drug trip one day... my girl and I, 00:25:15.14\00:25:17.65 that night we were sitting around 00:25:17.71\00:25:19.45 as we were coming down off the psychedelic drug, 00:25:19.48\00:25:21.62 and we were saying, 00:25:21.65\00:25:22.98 "What is going to make us happy? 00:25:23.02\00:25:24.35 We got away from the rules and the schools 00:25:24.39\00:25:26.92 and the Adventism and all that stuff, 00:25:26.96\00:25:28.29 but our friends were crummy... we hate them, 00:25:28.32\00:25:30.83 we hate people, they cheat us in the drug deals, 00:25:30.89\00:25:33.43 we're not happy, what's going to make us happy?" 00:25:33.46\00:25:35.96 And God brought to our minds that night, 00:25:36.00\00:25:37.47 the little lady from the church that came with a casserole 00:25:37.50\00:25:40.54 trying to love us no matter how we were, 00:25:40.57\00:25:42.50 Bible worker, old Dan Collins, 00:25:42.54\00:25:44.11 the ex-alcoholic who knew Dan... wild guy, 00:25:44.14\00:25:46.21 my dad sicced him on us at the apartment, 00:25:46.27\00:25:48.31 he came, knocked on the door, 00:25:48.34\00:25:49.68 he said we weren't very nice to him 00:25:49.71\00:25:51.05 so he got mad, stepped down... 00:25:51.08\00:25:52.41 as he was going down the steps... said, 00:25:52.45\00:25:53.78 "I don't care God, let them go to hell" 00:25:53.82\00:25:55.15 but then God convicted him, 00:25:55.18\00:25:56.52 he went back up and he knocked on the door again 00:25:56.55\00:25:58.39 gave me his card, stuffed it in my bib overalls 00:25:58.42\00:26:00.46 and said, "Listen, you're going to need me some day, 00:26:00.52\00:26:01.86 and when you do, you call me. " 00:26:01.89\00:26:03.22 That night as we sat there thinking... 00:26:03.26\00:26:05.33 God brought back to us again 00:26:05.36\00:26:06.70 that really what we were looking for was love, 00:26:06.73\00:26:09.40 people who loved us, 00:26:09.43\00:26:10.77 my parents who had been unconditional in their love 00:26:10.80\00:26:12.13 even though they made some mistakes, 00:26:12.17\00:26:13.50 but the point is, no matter how many mistakes 00:26:13.54\00:26:16.40 you've made in your loved one, your kid, 00:26:16.44\00:26:18.17 don't be discouraged about that, 00:26:18.21\00:26:20.58 God makes up the years the locust has eaten 00:26:20.61\00:26:22.94 what you need to do... is get many people intensely praying 00:26:22.98\00:26:26.11 for your kid and God will do things, 00:26:26.15\00:26:28.28 and unleashes His power, I don't understand it all 00:26:28.32\00:26:30.22 some get prayed for... more than others 00:26:30.25\00:26:31.95 I don't have to figure that out, 00:26:32.02\00:26:33.46 I just know that the Bible says, 00:26:33.49\00:26:34.82 "If you pray, I will answer 00:26:34.86\00:26:36.56 and if two or three pray, I will answer" 00:26:36.62\00:26:39.13 and I believe... in united prayer there's even more power 00:26:39.16\00:26:41.46 and I'll share a statement 00:26:41.50\00:26:42.83 from Ellen White in a minute on that. 00:26:42.86\00:26:44.20 But anyway, that night, 00:26:44.23\00:26:45.57 we decided we'd give Jesus a chance. 00:26:45.60\00:26:46.94 He said it was 3:00 in the morning when we called him, 00:26:46.97\00:26:48.70 and very soon after that, 00:26:48.74\00:26:50.07 we were studying the Bible with him 00:26:50.11\00:26:52.54 and got dragged in a little church... Denver West there 00:26:52.57\00:26:55.08 and Denver was on fire with love, 00:26:55.11\00:26:56.64 they didn't care if we had long hair and beard, we looked like 00:26:56.68\00:26:58.81 we crawled out from under a rock there in the lake... 00:26:58.85\00:27:00.45 in the '60s, early '70s, 00:27:00.48\00:27:01.98 but they just loved us... if we weren't at the small group 00:27:02.02\00:27:04.19 if we weren't at the Fellowship Dinner, 00:27:04.22\00:27:05.72 if we weren't at church, they asked, "where were you?" 00:27:05.75\00:27:07.99 and they loved us into the church... and we went back then 00:27:08.02\00:27:10.19 six months later, we were re-baptized 00:27:10.23\00:27:11.66 went back to Andrews and started into ministry. 00:27:11.69\00:27:14.33 I saw Paul Cannon here from the bridge, 00:27:14.36\00:27:16.26 we prayed together yesterday after Mark's sermon and 00:27:16.30\00:27:18.23 when I walked on the campus at Andrews... 00:27:18.27\00:27:20.87 and I want to share with you now several keys 00:27:20.90\00:27:23.04 that in my life, always bring me back 00:27:23.07\00:27:25.27 when I need it... to Jesus and to life 00:27:25.31\00:27:27.48 and to be awake in Him, 00:27:27.51\00:27:28.88 one of them is, I walked on the campus and 00:27:28.94\00:27:30.28 the guy in charge of Christian Ministries that year said, 00:27:30.31\00:27:33.11 "Hey, we're doing Mission '72 we're going to have 13 groups 00:27:33.15\00:27:35.98 going out... and students to hold meetings 00:27:36.02\00:27:37.55 in different churches, would you coordinate that? 00:27:37.59\00:27:39.25 And I said, "Sure, no problem" 00:27:39.29\00:27:40.72 I didn't have a clue what I was doing 00:27:40.76\00:27:42.42 but God let me lead from the beginning 00:27:42.46\00:27:44.03 took me into a small group, we prayed, we praised, 00:27:44.06\00:27:47.76 we drove two hours every Sabbath morning 00:27:47.80\00:27:49.96 singing praise songs and going on ministry 00:27:50.00\00:27:52.10 and get a hold of a little lay Evangelistic Meeting 00:27:52.13\00:27:54.04 and that year... you heard last night Ron Clouzet say... 00:27:54.07\00:27:56.40 that year we had so many baptisms in North America, why? 00:27:56.47\00:27:58.77 Because so many people were doing it, 00:27:58.84\00:28:00.48 lay people and pastors together, next year can be like that 00:28:00.51\00:28:03.48 in 2009... as we all pull together 00:28:03.51\00:28:06.15 to see something major happen 00:28:06.18\00:28:07.82 anyway, small groups, service, claiming the promises, 00:28:07.88\00:28:11.19 Len Cloumet is coming around with the ABCs of prayer 00:28:11.22\00:28:14.86 those are the things when I do it... keep me alive 00:28:14.89\00:28:17.73 you see, running the church is not enough for me, 00:28:17.76\00:28:20.56 I can do all kinds of administration, 00:28:20.60\00:28:22.36 I can tell you how to get to work, 00:28:22.40\00:28:24.07 but unless I give Bible Studies to the lady that cuts my hair, 00:28:24.10\00:28:26.53 and keep working for Debra until she finally joins, 00:28:26.57\00:28:29.44 she's attending now, I'm not going to be alive 00:28:29.47\00:28:31.81 plus I give out literature, I got my little pack 00:28:31.84\00:28:34.18 our student LEs, they won't let us alone, 00:28:34.21\00:28:35.74 I have my pack of literature, man, 00:28:35.78\00:28:37.11 I left one for the housekeeping this morning, 00:28:37.15\00:28:38.91 wherever I am, I want to be doing something 00:28:38.95\00:28:40.92 for Jesus personally, 00:28:40.98\00:28:42.32 then it's a living experience for me, then I'm alive in Him, 00:28:42.35\00:28:45.02 then prayer begins to be powerful for me, 00:28:45.05\00:28:47.66 I found out some other things in my journey 00:28:47.72\00:28:50.13 well, it was probably five years later that I became perfect 00:28:50.16\00:28:52.43 and it's really been wonderful since then, 00:28:52.46\00:28:53.80 I have just loved being a 00:28:53.83\00:28:55.43 perfect prayer warrior and a perfect guy, 00:28:55.46\00:28:57.13 and my wife's talking next so I got to be real careful here, 00:28:57.17\00:29:01.24 but you know, in my prayer times, 00:29:01.27\00:29:03.77 and I don't know how it is with you 00:29:03.81\00:29:05.74 I have discovered that sometimes, 00:29:05.77\00:29:07.98 my prayer life becomes very dry, 00:29:08.01\00:29:10.15 it's like reading an old history book when I read the Bible, 00:29:10.18\00:29:12.91 it's like, I can't get through to God, 00:29:12.95\00:29:15.22 He's not responding and I just discovered 00:29:15.25\00:29:17.49 that I need to just keep pressing 00:29:17.52\00:29:18.85 and keep asking Him to wake me up and help me 00:29:18.89\00:29:21.39 to give me a word from His Scriptures 00:29:21.42\00:29:23.19 to help show me if there's sin, 00:29:23.22\00:29:24.56 whatever it is in my life that I need, 00:29:24.59\00:29:25.93 sometimes I've gone to prayer 00:29:25.96\00:29:27.96 and ended up more depressed when I got done 00:29:28.00\00:29:29.53 than when I started, have you ever been there? 00:29:29.56\00:29:31.13 They gave you a little hand-out sheet, 00:29:31.20\00:29:33.20 hopefully you got the statements there, 00:29:33.23\00:29:35.20 and I've got a number of statements, 00:29:35.24\00:29:37.07 I'll just hit a couple of them in the time I have this morning 00:29:37.11\00:29:39.31 but I've got to hurry here, 00:29:39.34\00:29:41.61 but on the back of the page, there are a couple of good ones, 00:29:41.64\00:29:44.75 Twelve is a good one on parents by the way 00:29:44.78\00:29:46.31 on the Mother Augustine, praying for her kid 00:29:46.35\00:29:47.98 and how God answered her prayer and He's still doing it today 00:29:48.02\00:29:49.98 Janet is going to tell you a little bit about our youngest 00:29:50.02\00:29:51.72 and some of the issues that we're going through with him, 00:29:51.75\00:29:53.42 but number 13 there talks about turning away from 00:29:53.46\00:29:56.16 the four things Satan tries to get us diverted to: 00:29:56.19\00:29:58.76 the pleasures of this world, 00:29:58.79\00:30:00.20 life's cares, perplexities and sorrows, 00:30:00.23\00:30:02.26 the faults of others or your own faults and imperfections 00:30:02.30\00:30:04.67 to any or all of these, he'll seek to divert the mind, 00:30:04.70\00:30:06.77 don't be misled by his devices, 00:30:06.80\00:30:08.20 many who are really conscientious 00:30:08.24\00:30:09.60 and desire to live for God 00:30:09.64\00:30:10.97 he too often leads to dwell upon their own faults and weaknesses 00:30:11.01\00:30:13.98 and thus by separating them from Jesus, 00:30:14.01\00:30:15.94 he hopes to gain the victory, don't make self the center 00:30:15.98\00:30:18.75 and indulge in anxiety and fear as to whether you'll be saved, 00:30:18.78\00:30:20.98 all this turns the soul away from the source of strength 00:30:21.02\00:30:23.79 commit the keeping of your soul to God, 00:30:23.85\00:30:25.85 trust in Him, talk and think of Jesus, 00:30:25.89\00:30:27.76 let self be lost in Him. Steps to Christ, page 71. 00:30:27.79\00:30:30.69 One of the great keys that Jesus gave me a number of years ago 00:30:30.73\00:30:34.66 when He kind of woke Janet and I up in a new way, 00:30:34.70\00:30:36.26 she'll talk more about that in a minute but 00:30:36.36\00:30:37.77 one of the things He gave me was, in my prayer time, 00:30:37.80\00:30:41.00 instead of going right to my sins, 00:30:41.04\00:30:42.37 spending a lot of time there thinking about how bad I am, 00:30:42.40\00:30:44.87 or going right to my knees... 00:30:44.94\00:30:46.54 to start out by praising Him, can you do that? 00:30:46.57\00:30:48.88 In your personal time, in your group prayer, 00:30:48.94\00:30:51.21 always be focusing on how good He is 00:30:51.25\00:30:53.15 His promises, the Word of God, 00:30:53.18\00:30:54.68 praising Him that way, 00:30:54.72\00:30:56.05 when I do that, it changes my mind, 00:30:56.08\00:30:57.95 now God is in charge, His promises, He can do it, 00:30:57.99\00:31:01.32 if I spend too much time on my sins, 00:31:01.36\00:31:03.06 now we need to confess, some people don't believe in 00:31:03.09\00:31:04.83 confessing anymore and we need to confess specifically, 00:31:04.86\00:31:06.46 we're in the Day of Atonement, 00:31:06.49\00:31:07.83 we're in the time of the end 00:31:07.86\00:31:09.20 but we need to get off those and start thinking 00:31:09.23\00:31:11.97 about the sin forgiver and the sin cleanser 00:31:12.00\00:31:14.90 the one who can make us new, otherwise we'll end up depressed 00:31:14.97\00:31:18.17 and thinking about other people's problems, 00:31:18.21\00:31:19.64 everybody... pray for them but don't just dwell on it 00:31:19.67\00:31:21.64 because by beholding you become changed. 00:31:21.71\00:31:23.55 There are a lot of other things I can say 00:31:23.58\00:31:25.41 as a Leader of the church 00:31:25.45\00:31:26.78 I've sometimes use prayer to manipulate, how about you? 00:31:26.82\00:31:29.15 That's how you start meetings and end them, right? 00:31:29.18\00:31:31.69 That's how you get people to be quiet 00:31:31.72\00:31:33.32 so that you can have your meeting 00:31:33.36\00:31:34.89 by God's grace we have decided a number of years ago 00:31:34.92\00:31:38.49 and it's making a difference in our lives 00:31:38.53\00:31:39.86 we'll talk more about it, 00:31:39.89\00:31:41.23 but to take meetings as a time to really talk to God 00:31:41.26\00:31:44.63 most of our Staff Meetings 00:31:44.67\00:31:46.40 and in our Executive Committee and other things, 00:31:46.43\00:31:48.44 we take from half-an-hour to an hour to really pray 00:31:48.47\00:31:50.57 conversationally, sentence prayers, back and forth 00:31:50.61\00:31:52.61 to talk to God and I've discovered 00:31:52.64\00:31:54.14 when we do that in our meetings, 00:31:54.18\00:31:55.61 it changes our hearts, brings us into unity, 00:31:55.64\00:31:58.58 God comes into that place where we have praises of Him 00:31:58.61\00:32:01.32 and it changes the meetings, 00:32:01.38\00:32:02.72 we fight in our School Boards, 00:32:02.75\00:32:04.09 we fight in our Church Boards, and all that stuff, 00:32:04.12\00:32:05.85 but if we will take time to really talk to God, 00:32:05.89\00:32:08.52 our actions will become actions of the Spirit 00:32:08.56\00:32:10.73 instead of just words that we put on paper, 00:32:10.76\00:32:12.89 which don't really mean much, 00:32:12.93\00:32:14.36 well, I can go on and on, but I won't here, 00:32:14.40\00:32:16.97 my own personal prayer life is the core 00:32:17.00\00:32:20.14 but we have come to find that 00:32:20.17\00:32:22.14 united prayer is what flows out of that 00:32:22.17\00:32:24.51 in my own prayer life, 00:32:24.57\00:32:25.91 if I don't take time with God everyday, 00:32:25.94\00:32:27.28 and I'm telling you something 00:32:27.31\00:32:28.64 you already know and do... most of you... 00:32:28.68\00:32:30.15 but I discovered that I'm running on my own power 00:32:30.18\00:32:33.42 and that's a pretty bad thing because when you get to Jerry 00:32:33.48\00:32:35.75 when he's not filled with the Spirit, 00:32:35.78\00:32:37.15 not living in God, it's not a pretty thing, 00:32:37.19\00:32:39.49 I'm a pretty clear guy in many ways 00:32:39.52\00:32:41.42 one day I got back from a trip 00:32:41.46\00:32:43.36 and one of the guys in the office was doing it again, 00:32:43.39\00:32:45.89 he was gossiping about this other couple, 00:32:45.93\00:32:48.13 and I had talked to him before about that, 00:32:48.16\00:32:50.33 you don't have that problem in your Institution 00:32:50.37\00:32:53.64 or in your Organization, do you? 00:32:53.67\00:32:55.00 He was nailing them, he was saying stuff about them 00:32:55.04\00:32:56.67 that wasn't even true, he was hurting their feelings 00:32:56.71\00:32:58.47 and so, it really annoyed me, upset me, 00:32:58.51\00:32:59.94 and so I said... I made an appointment with him 00:32:59.97\00:33:02.14 for the next Tuesday, and then I said, 00:33:02.18\00:33:04.08 "I want to meet with you about this" 00:33:04.11\00:33:05.95 and as we got together, well, actually, that morning, 00:33:05.98\00:33:08.68 I did what I try to do everyday 00:33:08.75\00:33:10.09 but sometimes... get too rushed and don't... 00:33:10.12\00:33:12.45 that is... spend time with God, 00:33:12.49\00:33:13.82 but I said, "You know Lord, 00:33:13.86\00:33:15.19 it seems like your Word is getting really dry again" 00:33:15.22\00:33:17.13 you know I have in my fly-leaf of my Bible, 00:33:17.16\00:33:19.56 sixth volume of the Testimonies, pages 392 and 393, 00:33:19.59\00:33:22.46 it says, "The Word of the Living God 00:33:22.50\00:33:24.17 is not merely written, but spoken. 00:33:24.20\00:33:25.77 The Bible is God's voice speaking to us, 00:33:25.80\00:33:27.87 just as surely as though we could hear it 00:33:27.90\00:33:29.94 with our ears. If we realize this, 00:33:29.97\00:33:32.01 with what awe would we open God's Word, 00:33:32.04\00:33:34.01 and with what earnestness would we search His precepts!" 00:33:34.04\00:33:36.48 I said, "God, this is supposed to be your Word, 00:33:36.51\00:33:38.95 please speak to me today," 00:33:38.98\00:33:40.32 and I wasn't thinking about this guy, but God was. 00:33:40.35\00:33:42.78 As I opened up, I'd been reading through Proverbs, 00:33:42.82\00:33:45.69 and these, I have put in yellow several texts, 00:33:45.72\00:33:48.56 it jumped off the page at me, 00:33:48.59\00:33:49.92 have you had that happen to you? 00:33:49.96\00:33:51.29 You're reading... and I try to pray a lot with the Bible open, 00:33:51.33\00:33:53.80 and praising through that and claiming promises 00:33:53.83\00:33:55.96 and letting him cleanse me with the Word open 00:33:56.00\00:33:58.40 but anyway, I'm reading now through Proverbs 12, 00:33:58.43\00:34:00.14 "A fool shows his annoyance at once," 00:34:00.17\00:34:01.60 God was annoyed with this guy, 00:34:01.64\00:34:03.91 "reckless words pierce like a sword, 00:34:03.94\00:34:05.81 but the tongue of the wise brings healing" 00:34:05.84\00:34:07.58 I was going to cut him up with my cleric tongue, 00:34:07.61\00:34:10.58 and leave him bleeding, I had a little legal brief there 00:34:10.65\00:34:12.81 I was going to show him and make him squirm 00:34:12.85\00:34:14.58 and then watch... 00:34:14.62\00:34:15.95 there will be behavior modification, you know, 00:34:15.98\00:34:18.19 "A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself," 00:34:18.25\00:34:20.66 I was going to dump everything I knew on the poor guy, 00:34:20.69\00:34:22.52 "A righteous man is cautious in his friendship" 00:34:22.56\00:34:25.03 how does the Lord do that? you know... 00:34:25.06\00:34:26.53 I could tell you stories for the rest of the week, 00:34:26.56\00:34:28.36 of my journal here, 00:34:28.40\00:34:29.73 I've got my journal with me, I won't let you get at it, 00:34:29.76\00:34:31.50 but in here... are the times I know God is alive, 00:34:31.53\00:34:33.94 because when I ask Him to speak to me, 00:34:33.97\00:34:36.34 He speaks in such unique and personal ways 00:34:36.37\00:34:38.71 that I know, it's not a coincidence. 00:34:38.74\00:34:40.64 "The more you pray," they say, 00:34:40.68\00:34:42.44 "the more coincidences you'll see" amen, 00:34:42.48\00:34:43.81 and that's what's happened to me, 00:34:43.85\00:34:46.58 anyway, so I went to meet with that guy, 00:34:46.61\00:34:48.32 God brought to my mind, I said, 00:34:48.38\00:34:49.95 "Jesus, I'm not going to go in the right spirit today, 00:34:49.98\00:34:52.42 I'm going in the spirit of 'Jerry' instead of 'Jesus'" 00:34:52.45\00:34:54.82 and Galatians 6:1 came to my mind, 00:34:54.89\00:34:56.62 you know it says there, "You who are spiritual 00:34:56.66\00:34:58.93 want to restore somebody else, do so how? 00:34:58.96\00:35:00.90 "In the spirit of gentleness, 00:35:00.93\00:35:02.86 remembering your own weaknesses, your own sins... " 00:35:02.90\00:35:04.87 so as I met with him, I said, "Brother, I've got a problem" 00:35:04.93\00:35:07.47 I read Galatians 6:1 and 2 00:35:07.54\00:35:08.87 and I said, "I often talk about people 00:35:08.90\00:35:10.47 behind their backs in negative ways," 00:35:10.51\00:35:12.07 anybody can raise your hand and say you don't ever do that? 00:35:12.11\00:35:14.31 Yeah, I'll see you afterwards, no... 00:35:14.34\00:35:17.18 and then I shared a little bit of what I knew... with him, 00:35:17.21\00:35:20.95 I said, "I want you to pray for me that I'll be like Jesus" 00:35:20.98\00:35:23.42 I shared a little of what I knew he'd been doing, 00:35:23.45\00:35:25.59 he got the point, we ended up with our arms 00:35:25.62\00:35:27.76 around each other tears in our eyes, 00:35:27.79\00:35:29.12 praying for both of us to be more like Jesus. 00:35:29.16\00:35:31.23 you know, it was a much better ending 00:35:31.26\00:35:32.59 and I can tell you stories all day long 00:35:32.63\00:35:33.96 that didn't work out so nice, but this one did, 00:35:34.00\00:35:36.26 but you know, God says, "I'll work on you morning by 00:35:36.33\00:35:38.23 morning, and give you a word to help" 00:35:38.27\00:35:39.60 that night I got home late, the Pastor was on the line, 00:35:39.63\00:35:43.20 he was really angry, he said, 00:35:43.24\00:35:44.67 "My members are going around behind my back, 00:35:44.74\00:35:46.68 saying stuff about me, it's not true, 00:35:46.71\00:35:48.04 I'm going to sit them down tomorrow, 00:35:48.08\00:35:49.41 I'm going to really straighten them out," 00:35:49.44\00:35:50.78 isn't God good? 00:35:50.81\00:35:52.15 He worked me over in the morning, 00:35:52.18\00:35:54.35 so I could have a better meeting with my staff member, 00:35:54.38\00:35:55.95 and be able to help a pastor... cool down 00:35:55.98\00:35:57.69 and do it better the next day with his members. 00:35:57.72\00:36:00.76 God will do that every time for us 00:36:00.79\00:36:02.29 if we'll spend the time with Him... He will do that. 00:36:02.32\00:36:04.59 Now I've only got a couple of minutes here to tell you 00:36:04.63\00:36:06.73 one of the most amazing stories in our whole journey, 00:36:06.76\00:36:08.80 but I want to do it because... I'm a leader out of control. 00:36:08.83\00:36:12.17 You probably notice that by the way I speak 00:36:12.20\00:36:14.14 but, I'm a Leader out of control I hate it but I love it, 00:36:14.17\00:36:17.11 because we've been on a journey in Central California 00:36:17.17\00:36:20.08 since we went there and again... 00:36:20.11\00:36:21.44 I can tell you lots of other stories, 00:36:21.48\00:36:22.81 but when I went there, 00:36:22.84\00:36:24.18 Janet... we got prayer partners together 00:36:24.21\00:36:26.51 and she brings the prayer partner groups... 00:36:26.55\00:36:28.92 some of them together every week at our Conference Office 00:36:28.95\00:36:30.99 for three hours on Wednesday and I have a sheet I give them, 00:36:31.02\00:36:33.62 two or three pages that are thanks and answers to prayer, 00:36:33.66\00:36:36.19 and then about 15 pages of all the latest needs and crises 00:36:36.22\00:36:39.23 and stuff I can't handle and personnel and money 00:36:39.26\00:36:41.16 and all those issues 00:36:41.20\00:36:42.90 and every week... they sit there for three hours 00:36:42.96\00:36:45.00 and just pray... back and forth 00:36:45.03\00:36:46.37 as the Spirit leads them over those 00:36:46.40\00:36:47.74 a few sentences by this one, a few sentences by that one, 00:36:47.77\00:36:50.07 praising, thanking, claiming promises 00:36:50.11\00:36:52.07 and God does tremendous stuff. 00:36:52.11\00:36:53.44 But you know as they were seeing miracles, 00:36:53.48\00:36:55.01 in Camp Meeting, we have a group of 30 that pray 00:36:55.04\00:36:56.88 from way before... to all during... 00:36:56.91\00:36:59.28 and God does tremendous stuff and they were seeing miracles 00:36:59.31\00:37:01.85 but they were frustrated because the point was 00:37:01.88\00:37:05.15 in your church, in your school board, 00:37:05.19\00:37:06.65 in your problems in your family, your marriage, 00:37:06.69\00:37:08.76 God will answer your prayers too, amen. 00:37:08.79\00:37:11.03 He says, "You have not... " why? "because you ask not" 00:37:11.09\00:37:14.80 He says, "I will give you an answer to prayer 00:37:14.86\00:37:16.63 things I can't give you if you don't ask" 00:37:16.67\00:37:18.83 and they said, "People just don't get it" 00:37:18.87\00:37:20.97 and so they began to ask God, "What should we pray about?" 00:37:21.00\00:37:24.24 Do you do that? Romans 8:26 00:37:24.27\00:37:26.37 Ellen White says in Christ's Object Lessons, 00:37:26.41\00:37:28.18 it says that God will inspire our prayers, 00:37:28.21\00:37:30.01 He will actually indict prayers out of us what He needs 00:37:30.05\00:37:32.11 in the great controversy and I don't know how it works 00:37:32.15\00:37:34.18 but I know in the great controversy 00:37:34.22\00:37:36.35 my testimony is... and you can too... 00:37:36.38\00:37:38.55 that there are rules there somehow, 00:37:38.59\00:37:40.59 God is limited in... somewhat to our prayers. 00:37:40.62\00:37:43.19 in some ways, He's limiting Himself, 00:37:43.22\00:37:45.56 He says, "if you don't ask, I can't give it to you" 00:37:45.59\00:37:47.33 and so, I believe that when we pray, 00:37:47.40\00:37:50.57 He unleashes His power, anyway, 00:37:50.60\00:37:52.20 they said, "What shall we pray about" 00:37:52.23\00:37:53.57 and they felt impressed over a period of time 00:37:53.60\00:37:55.44 to pray about the Evangelism offering at Camp Meeting. 00:37:55.47\00:37:57.91 Now this wasn't Leaders with smarts... strategy 00:37:57.94\00:37:59.81 thinking in a room about how to get more money 00:37:59.84\00:38:01.68 out of the members to do Evangelism, 00:38:01.71\00:38:03.21 this was some prayer partners saying, "God" like Mueller did, 00:38:03.24\00:38:07.05 "give us a witness... a testimony... 00:38:07.08\00:38:09.22 that will show people that you can do anything 00:38:09.25\00:38:11.62 in their church, in their marriage, in their home 00:38:11.65\00:38:13.82 and to quit giving up on the stuff around them 00:38:13.86\00:38:16.02 and praying intensely about it, unitedly," 00:38:16.06\00:38:17.79 and so, they started praying, 00:38:17.83\00:38:20.90 the first year they prayed that it would overflow 00:38:20.93\00:38:22.63 to show me as a Leader and others... that it could be done 00:38:22.66\00:38:25.00 begin with 70,000 to 80,000... or $100,000 a year, 00:38:25.03\00:38:28.47 that year, it went to a $150,000 00:38:28.50\00:38:29.97 so they came to me and said, 00:38:30.01\00:38:31.44 "Jerry, raise the goal next year, 00:38:31.47\00:38:32.84 raise it up to $200,000 or $250,000 00:38:32.87\00:38:34.21 we're going to pray for $250,000" 00:38:34.24\00:38:35.58 now what did the Leaders say? 00:38:35.61\00:38:36.95 "Are you crazy? 00:38:36.98\00:38:38.31 You had a good thing one year here 00:38:38.35\00:38:40.52 but don't... what if we set a goal and don't reach it?" 00:38:40.58\00:38:43.02 That's where I was... in my thoughts... lack of faith 00:38:43.05\00:38:45.45 so anyway, they said, "Okay" 00:38:45.49\00:38:46.82 so I raised it a little $125,000... 00:38:46.86\00:38:48.96 we have a Committee and we raised it together 00:38:48.99\00:38:50.96 that year, they were praying for $250,000 00:38:50.99\00:38:52.86 and guess what it went to? $250,000... in ten days... 00:38:52.89\00:38:55.93 and all we were doing was asking the people at Camp Meeting 00:38:55.96\00:38:58.43 when you pray during these ten days, 00:38:58.47\00:39:00.04 ask what God wants you to do 00:39:00.10\00:39:01.60 in terms of reaching the lost in this Conference 00:39:01.64\00:39:04.37 and so... anyway... I've got to make this quick, 00:39:04.41\00:39:07.08 the story goes on... went to $350,000... 00:39:07.11\00:39:09.14 and then they were praying for half a million 00:39:09.18\00:39:10.51 and I'm just getting up in front of the people at SoCal 00:39:10.55\00:39:12.41 I'm going, "Folks, I'm not in control here, 00:39:12.45\00:39:14.95 we know what we're doing, I mean, we have... 00:39:14.98\00:39:17.49 we try to use our left brain 00:39:17.52\00:39:18.85 we try to work as hard as we can, 00:39:18.89\00:39:20.22 we know the ministries we'd like to do, 00:39:20.26\00:39:21.59 we started Bible Workers, Church Plants, 00:39:21.62\00:39:22.96 we upped our meetings, 00:39:22.99\00:39:24.33 we had Youth Evangelism Teams, 00:39:24.36\00:39:25.69 all this stuff was beginning to happen, 00:39:25.73\00:39:27.06 we told them about it, but we said, 00:39:27.10\00:39:28.43 "We're not going to twist your arms, 00:39:28.46\00:39:29.80 this is a prayer thing... it's a prayer journey we're on, 00:39:29.83\00:39:32.33 and if God wants you to give, fine... 00:39:32.37\00:39:33.94 and if He doesn't, don't" they went over a half a million, 00:39:33.97\00:39:37.81 went to $600,000... $700,000... over several years there 00:39:37.87\00:39:41.98 and we kept just watching people love it 00:39:42.01\00:39:44.68 and then the story took a twist, evangelism was growing 00:39:44.71\00:39:47.68 people were beginning to believe more in prayer, 00:39:47.75\00:39:49.62 but still... you know... kind of thinking... 00:39:49.65\00:39:51.35 "Well, that's the prayer partners, 00:39:51.42\00:39:52.75 that's the special group over here or something... " 00:39:52.79\00:39:54.26 and so, we began to watch that happen, 00:39:54.52\00:39:57.63 and then... the third thing that happened is 00:39:57.66\00:40:01.10 the wonderful journey of trust and faith, 00:40:01.13\00:40:04.57 as many people were pledging, 00:40:04.60\00:40:05.93 God would tell them to give more than they could see... 00:40:05.97\00:40:08.24 Janet and I are way, way off the limb on what we pledged 00:40:08.30\00:40:10.27 because we don't know how to do it 00:40:10.31\00:40:11.67 but every year, when God brings that about, 00:40:11.71\00:40:13.61 then we had these wonderful testimonies of stewardship 00:40:13.64\00:40:15.28 it's wonderful, 00:40:15.31\00:40:16.64 so at SoCal Camp Meeting if you ever watch, 00:40:16.68\00:40:18.01 we have people talking about... this widow got up last year, 00:40:18.05\00:40:20.38 her husband had died, 00:40:20.42\00:40:21.75 she knew they couldn't give us much this year, 00:40:21.78\00:40:23.15 they've been giving this... 00:40:23.18\00:40:24.55 God told her to give twice as much... so she did it, 00:40:24.59\00:40:26.62 God gave her a short-term job just to pay the very penny of 00:40:26.65\00:40:30.43 that pledge and then the job stopped. 00:40:30.49\00:40:31.83 She couldn't wait to get in the pulpit that next Camp Meeting 00:40:31.86\00:40:34.46 and share what God had done for her 00:40:34.50\00:40:35.83 because He's alive, done something for her... 00:40:35.86\00:40:37.67 so on the Stewardship journey as well, 00:40:37.70\00:40:40.34 and again, about three or four years ago, 00:40:40.37\00:40:42.94 they were praying for a million dollars at Camp Meeting 00:40:42.97\00:40:45.07 all these ministries were going, we had all these people 00:40:45.11\00:40:47.14 but only for one year at a time, so I come into Camp Meeting, 00:40:47.18\00:40:49.94 Jan and I come in, we don't know if we're going 00:40:49.98\00:40:51.58 to get a $100,000 or a million or what we were going to get, 00:40:51.61\00:40:54.98 and that's a stressful time, sometimes we say, 00:40:55.02\00:40:57.69 "You know, we'd like to get out of this Lord," 00:40:57.75\00:41:00.39 but it's such a wonderful journey too, 00:41:00.42\00:41:02.12 well, about three or four years ago, 00:41:02.16\00:41:03.73 it went over a million dollars, we couldn't believe it, 00:41:03.76\00:41:05.89 but our people were just enjoying it 00:41:05.93\00:41:07.50 and the Ministries were expanding... 00:41:07.53\00:41:08.96 and if you want to see, I've got a whole 25-page 00:41:09.00\00:41:11.20 document of a report of all the ministries that are going on 00:41:11.23\00:41:13.70 in our Conference, health and literature evangelism 00:41:13.74\00:41:15.97 all those things that have exploded 00:41:16.00\00:41:17.54 but, it went over a million... 00:41:17.57\00:41:19.84 then the next year, when you come back... and you go 00:41:19.87\00:41:21.58 "What's going to happen this year, 00:41:21.61\00:41:22.94 are we going to have to lay people off, 00:41:22.98\00:41:24.31 what are we going to have to do?" 00:41:24.35\00:41:25.85 That year they were praying... 00:41:25.88\00:41:27.45 Janet began to be convicted that God was telling her 00:41:27.48\00:41:29.72 to pray for two million in fact, we were on a 00:41:29.75\00:41:31.95 pre-prayer walk, the Sabbath before, 00:41:31.99\00:41:33.32 and she prayed for two million 00:41:33.36\00:41:34.69 in front of the Treasurer, he about dropped over... 00:41:34.72\00:41:36.42 but you know last Saturday night, 00:41:36.46\00:41:39.16 the offering had gone up to about $900,000 00:41:39.19\00:41:41.26 which I was hoping... would go to over a million again 00:41:41.33\00:41:43.37 people were just asking God, "What do you want me to do?" 00:41:43.40\00:41:45.27 and listening, you know, that Saturday night 00:41:45.30\00:41:48.00 as I was putting a mic on to speak for the meeting, 00:41:48.04\00:41:49.84 a guy walked up to me and he said "How is the offering going" 00:41:49.87\00:41:52.64 and I said, "Well, it's going pretty good," 00:41:52.67\00:41:54.58 I said, "looks like it's going over a million again, 00:41:54.61\00:41:55.94 and we just praise God" I said, "You know, some of the 00:41:55.98\00:41:57.35 prayer partners, I don't know if they're crazy or what 00:41:57.38\00:41:58.71 they're praying for two million dollars" 00:41:58.75\00:42:00.08 his eyes got big, he said, "Are you kidding me?" 00:42:00.12\00:42:01.55 He said, "My brother and I, we were talking to our family... 00:42:01.58\00:42:03.99 this afternoon, about what God wanted us to do 00:42:04.05\00:42:05.65 we were going to give a $100,000 00:42:05.69\00:42:07.02 to get you well over a million, 00:42:07.06\00:42:08.39 but God told us directly to give a million dollars," 00:42:08.42\00:42:10.29 so that night, when we told the people 00:42:10.33\00:42:12.99 what the total was, it was two million dollars 00:42:13.03\00:42:14.76 for evangelism for the next year praise the Lord, 00:42:14.80\00:42:16.77 you think people are praising God, 00:42:16.80\00:42:18.73 because everybody was asking, the widow was asking, 00:42:18.77\00:42:21.50 and those who had a little more were asking 00:42:21.54\00:42:24.17 but you know, the next year you come back 00:42:24.21\00:42:26.07 and now it's two million... you got all these ministries going 00:42:26.14\00:42:28.11 new initiatives and everything, 00:42:28.14\00:42:29.48 what if it's going to happen the next year? 00:42:29.51\00:42:30.85 And so we came back the next year, 00:42:30.88\00:42:32.68 we prayed, and the last night it was 00:42:32.71\00:42:34.78 getting a little over a million by Saturday night, 00:42:34.82\00:42:36.32 we praised God for that 00:42:36.35\00:42:37.69 somebody came up that night and said, 00:42:37.72\00:42:40.86 "We've been praying what we should do and God 00:42:40.89\00:42:42.39 has told us to give two million dollars" 00:42:42.42\00:42:43.93 it went to three million dollars, 00:42:43.96\00:42:45.59 3.3 million dollars and that was last year, 00:42:45.63\00:42:47.96 now coming into this Camp Meeting, 00:42:48.00\00:42:50.03 Janet and I were going, "Oh Lord, 3.3 million, 00:42:50.07\00:42:52.13 did you hear about the economy this year, by the way?" 00:42:52.17\00:42:53.94 The economy is bad, 00:42:53.97\00:42:55.54 ASI offering ought to be terrible this year right? 00:42:55.57\00:42:57.14 I don't think so, we came into our Camp Meeting 00:42:57.17\00:43:01.04 but we were claiming promises 00:43:01.08\00:43:02.41 and we were telling God, "You know God, 00:43:02.44\00:43:03.78 we've been saying all over the world, this is about prayer, 00:43:03.81\00:43:06.01 this is about God's people uniting in prayer, 00:43:06.05\00:43:08.42 it's about what God can do and if you don't do it this year 00:43:08.48\00:43:10.69 we think you're going to look bad... 00:43:10.72\00:43:12.05 we think it's going to take your glory... not us 00:43:12.09\00:43:15.06 because we're not saying this is about us, 00:43:15.09\00:43:16.66 this is about you speaking to your people 00:43:16.69\00:43:18.03 not us twisting arms, anyway, long story short, 00:43:18.06\00:43:21.50 and this is why I get gray hair... 00:43:21.53\00:43:22.86 this year, God's people gave 1.2 million by Saturday night, 00:43:22.90\00:43:27.34 and the people came up again and they said, 00:43:27.37\00:43:29.60 "Our business has gone terrible this year, 00:43:29.64\00:43:31.64 it's housing developments, it's not good, 00:43:31.67\00:43:33.51 we don't know how we're going to do it 00:43:33.54\00:43:35.28 but God has told us to keep this thing going 00:43:35.31\00:43:36.85 we're going to give you two million again," 00:43:36.88\00:43:38.21 so we have 3.3 million again 00:43:38.25\00:43:40.28 a week ago Saturday night for Evangelism this year, 00:43:40.32\00:43:42.65 God is alive in bad economies, amen 00:43:42.68\00:43:45.32 He can do it, 00:43:45.35\00:43:46.69 this one last promise I want to share with you 00:43:46.72\00:43:48.22 from the Spirit of Prophecy, 00:43:48.26\00:43:49.59 I hope you'll read all those things 00:43:49.62\00:43:50.99 I didn't judge my time right, 00:43:51.03\00:43:52.76 and all those statements are great ones 00:43:52.79\00:43:54.76 but the one that I want to read to you now 00:43:54.83\00:43:56.73 is one that's so powerful it's number five on the list, 00:43:56.77\00:44:03.04 after Matthew 18, 19, and 20, to "Wherever two pray 00:44:03.07\00:44:09.34 and agree on earth, God will do it in heaven" 00:44:09.38\00:44:11.55 Ellen White tells why this is, she says, 00:44:11.58\00:44:15.48 "This promise," number five, "is made on condition 00:44:15.55\00:44:17.42 that the united prayers of the church are offered 00:44:17.45\00:44:19.32 and in answer to these prayers, 00:44:19.35\00:44:20.69 there may be expected a power greater 00:44:20.72\00:44:22.99 than that which comes in answer to private prayer," 00:44:23.02\00:44:25.23 did you hear that? 00:44:25.26\00:44:26.70 When we get together in groups, when we get together by hundreds 00:44:26.73\00:44:30.83 which is what's happening in SoCal, 00:44:30.87\00:44:32.20 this year after the meeting 00:44:32.23\00:44:33.57 people came running up with their pledge cards 00:44:33.60\00:44:35.24 after it was announced they had 3.2 million, why? 00:44:35.27\00:44:37.71 Because they wanted to get their hundred dollars in 00:44:37.74\00:44:39.77 where God was working, 00:44:39.81\00:44:41.14 it wasn't about adding to the 3.2 million, 00:44:41.18\00:44:43.55 it was, "I'm on a journey, and I don't want to lose out, 00:44:43.58\00:44:45.55 I didn't put mine in yet" amazing! 00:44:45.61\00:44:47.82 but she says why... 00:44:47.85\00:44:49.35 "The power given will be in proportion 00:44:49.38\00:44:50.89 to the unity of members and their love of God, 00:44:50.92\00:44:52.95 and for one another" 00:44:52.99\00:44:54.52 I praise God, if we will pray together unitedly, 00:44:54.56\00:44:57.59 we'll see souls saved, 00:44:57.63\00:44:58.99 we will see money there that we need, 00:44:59.03\00:45:00.93 "Prayer is the key in the hand of faith 00:45:00.96\00:45:02.80 and unlocks heaven's storehouse where in Him... 00:45:02.83\00:45:04.67 are treasures of boundless resources of omnipotence," 00:45:04.70\00:45:07.70 we pray a little... but when we pray like Jesus prayed, 00:45:07.74\00:45:10.71 when we pray like the disciples prayed, 00:45:10.74\00:45:12.47 then we'll see Pentecost, I believe, coming in our midst. 00:45:12.51\00:45:15.28