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00:00:01.66\00:00:10.04
>> Well, hello and
welcome to worship here
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at Pioneer Memorial Church.
Really glad to welcome all those
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joining us in person.
Thank you for joining us.
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And really glad to welcome
all those joining us online,
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as well, from wherever you
are. Thank you for joining us.
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Okay. I want invite you
now to turn to your worship
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bulletin, or you can read along
on the screen, as well, the call
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to worship. And it reads...
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Amen. I want to invite you
to stand for the invocation,
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and then you can remain standing
for the opening song after that.
Let's stand together as we pray.
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Let's pray. Father in heaven,
we are gathered here today,
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both in person and all the
hundreds and hundreds and
hundreds of locations online,
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because we sense our desperate
need of you. So, as we continue
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in worship today through the
songs and through praise,
through the teaching of Your
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Word, just thank you for
blessing each person that's
gathered to seek your face
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today. For we do thank in
the name of Jesus, Amen. Amen.
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¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
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>> Good morning, Andrews family.
So at the beginning this week, I
got a little stressed out
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and I was really worried. I
added about five or six credits,
and, so, I was really
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stressed about how
this week was going to go.
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So, when I was in my dorm
room later, like, that night,
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I sat on my bed and I was
like, "Okay, I'm going to have a
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prayer, try to calm down, have
my devotional, take my time."
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And I just prayed. I was like,
"God, please, please help me.
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I know that You're -- I know
that my problems are small, but
I know that You're greater
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than this and that You can get
me through it." And my week went
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pretty solid, to be completely
honest. Like, I got through
everything, and I had
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a pretty good schedule, and I
was pretty happy with it. And
I'm ready for next week,
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obviously. But I just kind
of wanted to tell you guys this
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because our God is greater than
our problems, even if we think
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they're small. So, please sing
with us as we sing about our God
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and His greatness. [
"Great Are You Lord" begins ] ¤¤
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¤¤
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>> So, our Scripture
reading today is found in
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Psalm 103:20, 22. "Bless
the Lord, you His angels,
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who excel in
strength, who do His Word,
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heeding the voice of His
Word. Bless the Lord, all you
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His hosts, you ministers
of His who do His pleasure.
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Bless the Lord, all His works,
in places of His dominion.
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Bless the Lord, O my soul."
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[ "Goodness of God" begins ] ¤¤
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¤¤ ¤¤
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¤¤
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¤¤ ¤¤
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>> ¤ There is a balm in Gilead
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¤ To make the wounded whole ¤
There is a balm in Gilead ¤ To
heal the sin-sick soul
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>> ¤ Sometimes I feel
discouraged ¤ ¤ I think my
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work's in vain ¤ But then the
Holy Spirit revives my soul
again ¤ >> ¤ There is a balm in
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Gilead ¤ To heal
the sin-sick soul
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>> ¤ There is a balm in Gilead ¤
To make the wounded whole ¤
There is a balm in Gilead
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¤ To heal the sin-sick soul
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>> ¤ If you cannot preach like
Peter ¤ ¤ If you cannot pray
00:14:00.34\00:14:08.18
like Paul ¤ You can tell
the love of Jesus ¤ ¤ And say He
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died for all >> ¤ Tell the love
of Jesus ¤ And say He died for
all ¤ He died for me
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¤ He died for you
00:14:28.50\00:14:36.87
¤¤ >> ¤ Balm ¤ Gilead
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>> ¤ There is a balm in Gilead ¤
To make the wounded whole ¤
There is a balm in Gilead
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¤ To heal the sin-sick soul ¤
There is a balm in Gilead ¤ To
heal the sin-sick soul
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¤ There is a balm >> ¤ To heal
the sin-sick soul >> ¤ There is
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a balm >> ¤ There is a balm >> ¤
There is a balm >> ¤ There is a
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ba... ¤ ...alm >> Amen. >> Amen.
00:16:08.03\00:16:18.37
>> "All my life, You've
been faithful. And I will sing
00:16:21.14\00:16:28.35
of the goodness of the Lord."
Thank you, Liesl, Michael... Ed
Joseph at the piano,
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Cheyenne at the violin. We've
been in worship. We needed that.
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We needed that for today.
As you'll see. So let's pray.
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Oh, God, all our life...
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...You've been faithful.
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And, so, we will sing, as
we have, of the goodness of the
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Lord. Be good to us now through
Your Word. We humbly pray in
00:17:16.06\00:17:21.60
Jesus' name. Amen.
00:17:21.60\00:17:23.41
Do you know what
an avatar is? Hmm?
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The world's gone
gaga over avatars.
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Get this -- "Avatar 1," and four
weeks ago, "Avatar 2," as we
00:17:37.09\00:17:41.56
would call it.
4.9 -- excuse me --
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$4.8 billion
garnered. $4.8 billion.
00:17:45.33\00:17:52.70
Highest in history.
Unbelievable. I suppose there
00:17:52.73\00:17:57.84
are nations on Earth that would
love to have $4.8 billion given
to them. And that's what we
00:17:57.84\00:18:05.28
Westerners shelled out to watch
avatars. So what's an avatar?
00:18:05.28\00:18:12.15
Most people have no clue what
an avatar is, and I certainly
00:18:12.15\00:18:15.16
didn't, so I went to Wikipedia.
You're going to be surprised.
It's a word from Sanskrit.
00:18:15.16\00:18:22.20
Okay? Here we go. On
the screen, Wikipedia.
00:18:22.20\00:18:25.63
End quote. So who's this spirit
on Earth that's trying to get
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everybody to believe he's
the God of this Earth? Is he in
00:18:49.92\00:18:56.16
"Avatar 2"? How'd we get in this
mess? Wasn't he the one that
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instigated this -- what do they
call it -- great controversy,
00:19:01.67\00:19:07.31
war? Come on. Avatars. Are
you serious? Avatars and angels.
00:19:07.31\00:19:14.62
'Cause the truth of the matter
is... we've got a capital-G God
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named Christ faced off with
a little-G god named Satan. And
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you can't help it. You're stuck
in the middle of this war. And
00:19:32.83\00:19:38.41
so am I. Avatars and angels.
Because when you have a day of
prayer like we did on Wednesday,
00:19:38.41\00:19:43.98
a beautiful, beautiful day on
these three campuses, both sides
00:19:43.98\00:19:50.95
draw very near. Because in a day
of prayer, there's provided a
supernatural realignment of
00:19:50.95\00:19:59.49
alliances. Everybody wants you
to be on their side. Avatars and
00:19:59.49\00:20:06.37
angels. Because in a universe of
free choice, you get to choose.
Which is why there's part two
00:20:06.37\00:20:12.31
to a prayer we began together,
you and me, last week. Two-part
00:20:12.31\00:20:18.35
prayer. Two petitions in one
prayer. We got the first one.
Now, if you weren't here
00:20:18.35\00:20:23.05
this last Sabbath, let me give
you a video trailer back story.
00:20:23.05\00:20:26.49
You remember the fishing
buddies, Peter and John? You
00:20:26.49\00:20:30.99
remember them? Followers of this
Jesus of Nazareth. So they're
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having a day of prayer, an
afternoon of prayer at the
temple. They're going. And you
00:20:34.23\00:20:37.93
remember the story. There's a
lame man born lame 40 years ago,
never been able to walk.
00:20:37.93\00:20:42.60
They see him. They take pity on
him, and boom, silver and gold I
00:20:42.60\00:20:46.94
don't have. But what I have in
the name of Jesus of Nazareth,
00:20:46.94\00:20:50.15
get up and walk. He walks.
There's a crowd that gathers.
You can understand.
00:20:50.15\00:20:54.95
And the moment there's a crowd,
the authorities are there. The
two boys are arrested.
00:20:54.95\00:20:59.42
They're thrown in jail
overnight. We'll get you in the
00:20:59.42\00:21:02.16
morning. They release 'em in the
morning. They bring him before
the supreme council.
00:21:02.16\00:21:06.19
And they utter this threat --
"You will never again ever teach
using the name Jesus
00:21:06.19\00:21:11.13
of Nazareth in your teaching. If
you do, we will silence you."
And not long afterwards,
00:21:11.13\00:21:18.27
John Boy's older brother, James,
was beheaded by this council for
speaking about Jesus.
00:21:18.27\00:21:25.88
They're serious. The boys go to
their group. They have a prayer
00:21:25.88\00:21:30.95
meeting. It's not an all day of
prayer. It's an all night of
prayer. And we went to that
00:21:30.95\00:21:36.06
prayer last week. We only read
the first half. Notice now --
00:21:36.06\00:21:40.56
avatars and angels -- the second
half. Okay. Open your Bible with
-- You brought your Bible today.
00:21:40.56\00:21:45.30
Good for you. Open your Bible to
Acts chapter 4. Acts chapter 4.
00:21:45.30\00:21:49.44
We'll go straight to the heart
of the prayer that has two
petitions embedded in it.
00:21:49.44\00:21:55.41
We'll go to the first petition.
So this is Acts chapter 4.
They're in the middle
00:21:55.41\00:21:59.01
of the prayer, but they now
get to the petition. Here we go,
00:21:59.01\00:22:02.58
verse 29. "Now, Lord, consider
their threats and enable Your
00:22:02.58\00:22:07.22
servants to speak Your Word
with great" what? With great
00:22:07.22\00:22:12.93
boldness. We're not threatened.
They can cut our heads off.
We're not going to quit talking.
00:22:12.93\00:22:16.73
But we need courage. Enable us
to stand up for You on this
campus with courage.
00:22:16.73\00:22:24.11
Give me that courage. I can't do
it alone. It's a good prayer to
00:22:24.11\00:22:30.11
pray. And then they say, "Send
in heavy artillery. We need
00:22:30.11\00:22:34.72
help." Where's the heavy
artillery? Well, it's certainly
not in the first part of that
00:22:34.72\00:22:38.85
prayer. No heavy artillery
there. So what's the second
part? Well, read it. It's verse
00:22:42.72\00:22:47.40
30. "Stretch out Your hand to
heal and perform signs and
wonders through the name
00:22:47.40\00:22:52.97
of Your holy servant Jesus. They
quietly petition God. "We need
00:22:52.97\00:23:00.68
heavy artillery. Stretch out
Your hand." By the way, whose
hand is being stretched out?
00:23:00.68\00:23:03.85
Oh, this is Your hand. We don't
have a hand to stretch out.
00:23:03.85\00:23:08.92
I'm intrigued by this phrase,
"signs and wonders." So I check
00:23:14.42\00:23:20.73
it out this last week. 20
times it appears in the Bible.
00:23:20.73\00:23:23.77
It is a technical phrase. It
isn't just a throw aside. No,
no, no. Something's embedded
00:23:23.77\00:23:31.17
in those words, in Hebrew
or Greek, "signs and wonders."
00:23:31.17\00:23:35.48
It's code language for
supernatural intervention in the
00:23:35.48\00:23:39.15
war, the great controversy,
that's what it is. Code
language. "Send us heavy
00:23:39.15\00:23:44.35
artillery." "Signs and wonders."
20 times in Scripture. Half of
00:23:44.35\00:23:49.72
those times are describing the
ten plagues over Egypt. You know
why the ten plagues
00:23:49.72\00:23:55.03
happen? Because there's a
capital-G God and there are
00:23:55.03\00:23:59.17
little-G gods, and God is trying
to appeal to Pharaoh. "Pharaoh,
00:23:59.17\00:24:02.47
come on, I'm the capital-G God.
You go with me, boy. What do you
00:24:02.47\00:24:06.54
have? Those little-G gods?
They're nothing." Pharaoh says,
00:24:06.54\00:24:09.91
"I'm not going with you. I have
my own little-G gods." "Oh,
yeah? Show them to me."
00:24:09.91\00:24:13.68
And ten times, God marches
through the pantheon of Egypt.
00:24:13.68\00:24:19.32
Gone. Gone. Every God that
Pharaoh brings forward -- gone,
gone. They're all avatars.
00:24:19.32\00:24:26.73
"I am the living God." God
takes that iron fist of Egypt,
00:24:26.73\00:24:34.34
releases the children of Israel
and they're set free. Signs and
00:24:34.34\00:24:39.24
wonders. And by the way, it's
not just an Old Testament
phrase. It's used in the New
00:24:39.24\00:24:42.51
Testament. No plagues, you can
understand. But Jesus three
times uses the phrase.
00:24:42.51\00:24:46.38
The Book of Acts four times
displays and uses the phrase
"signs and wonders."
00:24:46.38\00:24:51.02
Paul uses the phrase himself,
"signs and wonders." When Paul
uses it one of those
00:24:51.02\00:24:55.89
times, we understand why the
signs and wonders are such a big
00:24:55.89\00:24:59.79
deal. Watch this. This is
Paul over here in Romans 15:18
00:24:59.79\00:25:03.73
Paul says, "Hey, listen, guys,
in Rome, I will speak of what
Christ has accomplished though
00:25:03.73\00:25:08.60
me in leading the Gentiles" --
the pagans -- "to obey God by
what I have said and done."
00:25:08.60\00:25:13.31
Now I want to show you how he
got people to believe what I was
00:25:13.31\00:25:17.85
saying and doing.
Here's how he did it.
00:25:17.85\00:25:19.45
That's how people came to
believe, they saw. And by the
way, the tricky thing
00:25:25.62\00:25:30.46
about signs and wonders is both
sides use them. It's not the
00:25:30.46\00:25:35.66
monopoly of one. Both sides have
the razzle dazzle. Signs and
00:25:35.66\00:25:41.54
wonders. That's how they came to
believe. Let's be clear. Signs
and wonders are not
00:25:41.54\00:25:45.44
about power in you. They are not
about power in me. They are not
00:25:45.44\00:25:48.94
about the power of a Pentecostal
preacher. Though he may claim
it. Nope, they are divine.
00:25:48.94\00:25:55.22
The ultimate source is divine.
The imitation source, you know
00:25:55.22\00:26:02.79
who. Paul insists they are the
power of the Spirit of God at
work. Will we see them
00:26:02.79\00:26:09.76
in our lifetime? I think
so. May we participate them --
00:26:09.76\00:26:14.44
participate in them one day?
I think so. I think so. But I'm
00:26:14.44\00:26:21.71
going to push this farther now.
I'm going to share with you a
concept you may never have
00:26:21.71\00:26:25.58
thought of before. And I'm going
to tell you in advance what the
00:26:25.58\00:26:31.19
concept is and then put a line
on the screen that led me to
00:26:31.19\00:26:36.76
this concept. Fascinating.
And namely it is this. It was
00:26:36.76\00:26:41.90
through the power of angels that
our Lord Jesus himself performed
00:26:41.90\00:26:49.90
all his miracles. Angels. Come
on, Dwight, lay it on me. Okay.
00:26:49.90\00:26:53.94
"Desire of
Ages." Love that book.
00:26:53.94\00:26:56.38
"...through the ministration of"
what? Of angels. Keep reading.
00:27:05.69\00:27:10.73
"And it is true Christ, by
the ministry of His heavenly
00:27:10.73\00:27:14.93
messengers" -- the Angels --
"that every blessing comes from
God to us." Hmm. Now you're
00:27:14.93\00:27:22.44
making me think. Are angels
Heaven's delivery system of all
that is good, including signs
00:27:22.44\00:27:28.54
and wonders? You know what? We
have simply not grasped, as a
generation, we have not grasped
00:27:28.54\00:27:34.35
the significance of the ministry
of angels in our midst. We just
00:27:34.35\00:27:40.39
blow them aside. We have not. We
have not. If every one of Jesus'
miracles was performed by angel
00:27:40.39\00:27:47.30
intervention through Jesus
command -- No, get it right.
00:27:47.30\00:27:50.30
Jesus is the one giving
the commands. "Be healed."
00:27:50.30\00:27:54.04
"Daughter, your faith has healed
you." "Get out of him now."
00:27:54.04\00:27:59.17
If every command of Jesus
is immediately responded to by
00:27:59.17\00:28:06.05
celestial beings that are
greater than you, that are
greater than I... Oh, yes,
00:28:06.05\00:28:12.12
they're greater. Where is
it, Psalm 8. I've been trying to
00:28:12.12\00:28:15.92
memorize Psalm 8. And in Psalm
8, the old King James --
Speaking of the creation
00:28:15.92\00:28:19.13
of the human race, David,
speaking of God, he says, "You
00:28:19.13\00:28:25.83
have made mankind. You have made
humanity a little lower than the
angels." The Hebrew word there
00:28:25.83\00:28:34.94
is Elohim, a little lower than
God. We'd like that part. But
the New Testament says,
00:28:34.94\00:28:38.51
"No, he means angels." Quote
said, "A little lower." So
whoever these celestial
00:28:38.51\00:28:45.95
beings are, don't look at --
let's not look at each other and
say, "Huh? Like us."
00:28:45.95\00:28:50.76
No, not like us. Bigger.
00:28:50.76\00:28:54.83
Does that mean, Dwight, that the
angels that appear in the Old
00:29:01.00\00:29:04.27
Testament or the New Testament,
all those, this is they? Yeah.
185,000 Assyrian warriors.
00:29:04.27\00:29:11.38
Remember that? 185,000 Assyrian
warriors one night woke up dead.
00:29:11.38\00:29:18.09
Gone. The Bible says
one angel went through.
00:29:18.09\00:29:22.59
Ten plagues in Egypt. Gone.
What's going on here? We're in a
00:29:22.59\00:29:30.57
war. And once upon a time, there
was war in Heaven. And those
00:29:30.57\00:29:36.67
angels split. One third of them
followed a brilliant being named
Lucifer. Two thirds said,
00:29:36.67\00:29:42.68
"No, we're staying with Christ."
And, thus, the war was engaged.
Wow. Avatars in angels.
00:29:42.68\00:29:53.76
This is no fairy tale war we're
talking about, is it? My. The
healing of the layman,
00:29:53.76\00:29:59.83
they called beautiful. Who did
that? Was that Peter? "In the
00:29:59.83\00:30:04.83
name of Jesus of Nazareth, get
up and walk." Peter gave the
command. Guess who did it?
00:30:04.83\00:30:09.47
Angel. Boom. Wobbly
legs. Suddenly. Chhk.
00:30:09.47\00:30:13.04
Never walked on in 40 years, and
now the man's dancing. Name of
Jesus. Let's be clear.
00:30:13.04\00:30:20.68
Angel. Boom. Wow.
Signs and wonders.
00:30:20.68\00:30:28.89
Supernatural interventions by
God through his angel friends.
His angel servants.
00:30:28.89\00:30:34.50
His angel armies. Angels and
avatars. Am I making all this
00:30:34.50\00:30:42.34
up? Well, the avatar part,
You can thank James Cameron for
00:30:42.34\00:30:46.34
that. But the angel part. Hmm.
Listen to these triumphant angel
00:30:46.34\00:30:53.21
declarations. Oh, I love this.
Everybody knows -- Oh, excuse
00:30:53.21\00:30:56.45
me. I left a story out. I
thought I was going to skip it,
00:30:56.45\00:31:00.66
but we're going to get the story
anyway. You remember when Paul
and Silas were in prison?
00:31:00.66\00:31:03.49
You remember that? Their backs
lacerated. You remember that?
00:31:03.49\00:31:06.66
They're in shackles and stocks.
And what are they doing? What
are they doing in prison?
00:31:06.66\00:31:12.73
You remember that story? What
are they doing? They're singing
00:31:12.73\00:31:16.20
their hearts out, true? Praising
God and praying. And all of a
sudden -- poosh! --
00:31:16.20\00:31:21.11
and "Jailhouse Rock." Man, that
place just went thump. "Acts of
00:31:21.11\00:31:25.98
the Apostles." "All heaven was
interested in the men" -- Paul
and Silas -- "who were suffering
00:31:25.98\00:31:30.29
for Christ's sake, and angels
were sent to visit the prison.
At their tread, the earth
00:31:30.29\00:31:34.12
trembled." Here they come.
00:31:34.12\00:31:36.46
God doesn't mess
around. And I hope what you're
00:31:46.90\00:31:49.20
getting here, I hope
it's growing in your mind.
00:31:49.20\00:31:51.97
I hope you're thinking
very carefully now because
00:31:51.97\00:31:53.81
this is a bright audience.
00:31:53.81\00:31:55.28
I know you're beginning to
think, "Man, if angels showed up
back then and they could do
00:31:55.31\00:31:59.58
that, could they be of
help to me today?" I hope you're
00:31:59.58\00:32:05.95
thinking that. Avatars and
angels. Which do you want? Ugh.
00:32:05.95\00:32:11.03
Come on. Hebrews 1:14.
00:32:11.03\00:32:12.79
Take a look around. Anybody
in this room is meant to inherit
00:32:18.90\00:32:22.37
salvation? You have an angel
sent to minister to you. There's
an angel standing by you
00:32:22.37\00:32:25.71
right now.
00:32:25.71\00:32:27.74
Wow. Well, give me another one,
00:32:30.15\00:32:33.05
Dwight. Okay. Psalm 91.
00:32:33.05\00:32:35.35
Oh, by the way,
the fallen angel,
00:32:35.35\00:32:37.25
Lucifer, you do remember him.
The fallen angel that became
00:32:37.25\00:32:40.22
Satan, he once met Jesus in
the wilderness, and he quoted
00:32:40.22\00:32:43.19
to Jesus this very Psalm.
He did a little bit of cut
00:32:43.19\00:32:45.56
and pasting, and I'm
going to show you where he did
00:32:45.56\00:32:47.36
the cutting and pasting.
00:32:47.36\00:32:48.73
But he quoted this because this
is a big angel promise, and
everybody knew it back then,
00:32:48.76\00:32:53.44
and we need to know it today.
Psalm 91:11. "For He" -- God --
00:32:53.44\00:32:57.77
"will command his angels
concerning you." And Lucifer
says, "That's all." We don't
00:32:57.77\00:33:03.61
need anything more. And this
screen -- Dwight, change the
slide quick. I don't want them
00:33:03.61\00:33:06.28
to see the rest of the line. No,
Jesus knew what the rest of the
00:33:06.28\00:33:10.02
line was. "And He will command
his angels concerning you to
guard you in all your ways."
00:33:10.02\00:33:15.52
If it's the angel of God working
on you, he will never guard --
00:33:15.52\00:33:19.09
he will never guide you into
violating your conscience. He
will never guide you
00:33:19.09\00:33:23.63
into darkness. He will
never guide you into behavior
00:33:23.63\00:33:27.30
for which you are ashamed. He
will never guide you that way.
00:33:27.30\00:33:30.97
He's always standing there. When
you're contemplating a fork in
the road, he's saying,
00:33:30.97\00:33:34.18
"Come on, girl, we're
going this way. This is the way.
00:33:34.18\00:33:37.38
You go that way... it's your
choice." Lucifer didn't want us
00:33:37.38\00:33:43.75
to know that. He didn't
want Jesus to know that either.
00:33:43.75\00:33:45.99
Keep reading. "For He will
command his angels concerning
00:33:45.99\00:33:48.49
you to guard you in all your
ways. And they" -- the angels --
"will lift you up in their
00:33:48.49\00:33:52.89
hands, so that you will not
strike your foot against a
stone." That's what Lucifer
00:33:52.89\00:33:57.80
quoted. But keep reading.
Lucifer left this out, too.
00:33:57.80\00:34:00.44
Quiz time. Question one. Who
in the Bible is called a roaring
00:34:06.54\00:34:10.88
lion? Hmm. Who's called a
roaring lion? Who in the Bible
00:34:10.88\00:34:15.45
is called that old serpent?
Satan. The power of angels will
00:34:15.45\00:34:21.36
enable you, even if you face the
incarnation of evil himself,
will enable you to trample
00:34:21.36\00:34:28.23
that enemy assault. We're
not talking about Mickey Mouse
00:34:28.23\00:34:36.64
Disneyland fairy tale moments
now. This is the war -- and we
00:34:36.64\00:34:42.18
have no choice -- that we are
engaged in. Wow. You know what?
God must love you a lot.
00:34:42.18\00:34:49.65
He must really love you a lot. I
mean, I'm looking at you. You
look like a lovable person.
00:34:49.65\00:34:53.82
But God must really love you. I
mean, look at you. He must love
you a lot to assign
00:34:53.82\00:34:59.66
one of these celestial beings
who are greater, these beings,
00:34:59.66\00:35:04.53
than we are. Talking about
unselfish. Why would one of
these beings -- I have one
00:35:04.53\00:35:09.47
standing beside me right now. I
had a woman in church once who
saw my angel standing
00:35:09.47\00:35:12.77
right here, and she had been
involved in the occult, so I
knew that her eyes had
00:35:12.77\00:35:16.64
a way of seeing that normal
human eyes don't see. I've never
forgotten that story,
00:35:16.64\00:35:21.02
and I never will till I die. I
have an angel standing beside me
00:35:21.02\00:35:26.19
now. Can you imagine? Little old
you and little old me. The angel
says, "I'll stay with
00:35:26.19\00:35:30.89
her her entire life. That's
my covenant." "Are you serious?"
00:35:30.89\00:35:36.46
"I'm serious." Wow.
00:35:36.46\00:35:40.64
What's not to like about this?
Angels and avatars. I don't know
00:35:44.17\00:35:47.94
about you, but I'm going with
the angels. In fact, if there
weren't an angel beside me now,
00:35:47.94\00:35:52.48
I'd have been dead years ago.
Dead years ago. I can tell you a
00:35:52.48\00:35:56.12
time and place. Dead. Dead.
Dead. You would have been dead.
You wouldn't even be here.
00:35:56.12\00:36:02.09
Somebody's been looking out for
you. Man, God must love you a
00:36:02.09\00:36:05.96
lot. Look at you. Praise
God. But hands down, one of my
00:36:05.96\00:36:09.86
all-time favorite angel stories,
and I'm gonna tell it to you
00:36:09.86\00:36:13.60
right now. See if you can guess
it by the way we begin. "The
lad" -- because the Bible
00:36:13.60\00:36:17.27
calls him a lad -- "woke up
early that morning." Maybe he
00:36:17.27\00:36:20.88
woke up to brush his teeth. Can
you guess it yet? Nope. Maybe he
00:36:20.88\00:36:25.21
went outside to have his
devotions. Maybe he went to
visit Mother Nature.
00:36:25.21\00:36:28.35
What we know is that he happened
to, while he was out, take a
00:36:28.35\00:36:31.52
peek over the wall of the city,
and what he saw on the other
side of the wall, his stomach
00:36:31.52\00:36:37.73
just froze. Obviously, in the
dead of night, enemy hordes have
surrounded, besieged this town,
00:36:37.73\00:36:44.07
and there's no way out. He
panics, races back, wakes up the
sleeping prophet, Elisha.
00:36:44.07\00:36:49.84
"Elisha, Prophet, Prophet,
come!" Elisha says, "Give me a
00:36:49.84\00:36:55.71
minute." He finally follows him.
"Okay, I'm coming. I'm coming.
00:36:55.71\00:36:59.61
I'm coming." "Come. Come. Up.
Climb up here." Elisha looks
out. He says, "Oh. You don't
00:36:59.61\00:37:07.19
know what we're dealing with."
And I love the ending to this
story -- it's just two lines.
00:37:07.19\00:37:11.33
I love this. Elisha says
to the lad, "Don't be afraid.
00:37:11.33\00:37:16.70
Those who are with us" -- are
what? -- "more than those who
00:37:16.70\00:37:21.40
are with them." Isn't there a
verse somewhere in the Bible
that says, "Greater is he who is
00:37:21.40\00:37:24.74
in us than he who was in the
world"? 1 John 4:4. There it is
00:37:24.74\00:37:27.41
right there in the Old
Testament. Those who are with us
are more than all the darkness.
00:37:27.41\00:37:31.21
Don't keep worrying. And then
the prophet prays, "Open his
00:37:31.21\00:37:37.72
eyes, O Lord. Please,
open the boy's eyes"...
00:37:37.72\00:37:39.59
And the boy. Chariots
of fire. A wall of fire.
00:37:51.20\00:37:57.41
There are times when I pray for
this campus and I say, "God,
just surround us with that
00:37:57.41\00:38:02.14
wall." We may never
see it in our lifetime.
00:38:02.14\00:38:06.05
But, Sir, keep the wall
there, please. But there's no
00:38:06.05\00:38:13.29
greater angel story, in my
humble opinion, than that one.
Just because we can't see them
00:38:13.29\00:38:17.56
doesn't mean they're not here. A
little book called "Truth About
00:38:17.56\00:38:21.36
Angels." Let me just share this
line with you that, "Angels of
00:38:21.36\00:38:24.73
God that excel in strength" --
Psalm 103 -- "are sent to
minister to those who shall be
00:38:24.73\00:38:29.84
heirs of salvation." That be all
of us. "These angels, when they
00:38:29.84\00:38:33.27
see that we are doing the very
utmost on our part to be
overcomers, will do their part,
00:38:33.27\00:38:39.11
and their light will shine
around about us and sway back"
00:38:39.11\00:38:45.09
-- just shove -- "back the
influence of the evil angels
that are all around us, as well,
00:38:45.09\00:38:49.79
and will make a fortification
around us as a" -- what? "as a
00:38:49.79\00:38:56.40
wall of fire." Oh, my. Signs and
wonders here at Andrews
University. "They will make a
00:38:56.40\00:39:02.60
fortification around us as a
wall of fire." God just loves
this school. A wall of fire.
00:39:02.60\00:39:11.78
Then, how carefully and
prayerfully you and I must
fulfill our mission
00:39:11.78\00:39:15.22
and spiritual responsibilities
to the young who are in our
00:39:15.22\00:39:19.99
midst. You are young and I'm
looking at you. Proud of you.
00:39:19.99\00:39:26.96
Do you know the angel's attitude
to you? Same book. Watch this.
00:39:26.96\00:39:32.47
"The angels are with us" -- This
is written to a young adult,
00:39:32.47\00:39:36.30
okay? "The angels are with us
every day to guard and protect
us from the assaults of the
00:39:36.30\00:39:41.68
enemy." God knows we need it.
"You are not alone in the
warfare against wrong.
00:39:41.68\00:39:47.52
Could the curtain be rolled
back" -- my young friend -- "you
would see" -- see what? --
00:39:47.52\00:39:51.95
"you would see heavenly angels
fighting with you. This they
00:39:51.95\00:39:56.46
must do. It is their work to
guard the" -- what? Guard the
00:39:56.46\00:40:01.03
young. Guard the balcony. Guard
the back of the church. Guard
the front of the church.
00:40:01.03\00:40:05.23
Guard the dorms. Guard the
classrooms. "It is their work to
00:40:05.23\00:40:10.14
guard the young. Ten thousand
times ten thousand and thousands
00:40:10.14\00:40:14.28
of thousands of angels minister
to" -- whom? To the young. Some
of us have been assigned
00:40:14.28\00:40:19.91
professionally to
serve the young. We are here
00:40:19.91\00:40:23.79
for that solitary mission. That
means the angels need us who've
00:40:23.79\00:40:34.00
been assigned to be on the
watch. There's darkness in this
world. And the wall of fire
00:40:34.00\00:40:43.51
can be penetrated by
free choice. It's your choice.
00:40:43.51\00:40:50.25
It's my choice. It's every
student's choice. Nobody's put
00:40:50.25\00:40:56.32
in the straitjacket. You will
be covered by a wall of fire.
00:40:56.32\00:41:00.86
No, you don't want to fire? You
prefer darkness? You may have
00:41:00.86\00:41:05.03
it. But it's your job and mine
to make sure the choice. It's
for the King of Angels,
00:41:05.03\00:41:10.50
Jesus himself. Ah. We're
blessed to have three campuses.
00:41:10.50\00:41:15.57
God sure loves Andrews
University, He sure loves
00:41:15.57\00:41:18.77
Andrews Academy. He sure loves
Ruth Murdoch Elementary School.
And I know that you who are
00:41:18.77\00:41:22.74
young are under attack. Come on,
you've talked to me many times.
00:41:22.74\00:41:25.91
So I understand that part. I'm
not negating that at all.
Mnh-mnh. And I know that
00:41:25.91\00:41:30.29
sometimes, as a young thinker,
because you're a good thinker.
you cannot correlate
00:41:30.29\00:41:35.69
what you see and hear with what
you know to be Jesus' will for
00:41:35.69\00:41:39.39
your own life. You spot the
incongruence around you. You're
00:41:39.39\00:41:43.10
not dumb. You weren't born
yesterday. You see it, and then
you wonder, "What do I do now?"
00:41:43.10\00:41:48.24
Something's not right here. It's
not adding up. I know what I was
00:41:48.24\00:41:54.01
taught, but what's this? I have
two actions that you can take.
00:41:54.01\00:42:00.18
They're both simple. Action
number one. Call on Jesus.
00:42:00.18\00:42:05.09
Fernando Ortega. You like
Fernando Ortega? That song of
his, "Jesus, King of Angels,
00:42:05.09\00:42:08.66
that's just a beautiful ballad.
I mean, it's so beautiful.
Jesus, King of Angels.
00:42:08.66\00:42:14.10
So here's your first action. You
call on Jesus, King of Angels,
00:42:14.10\00:42:18.93
to send in reinforcements.
You see darkness where darkness
00:42:18.93\00:42:23.91
should not be. You say, "Send
in reinforcements." I don't care
00:42:23.91\00:42:26.14
how many angels you ask for. You
just ask for angels. All they
00:42:26.14\00:42:30.18
need is just one prayer.
Boom, you asked? Okay, so that's
00:42:30.18\00:42:35.85
number one. Call in
reinforcements. Here's action
number two. You can take this,
00:42:35.85\00:42:39.79
as well. If you discern that
your friends, your peers need
more protection from the forces
00:42:39.79\00:42:45.09
of darkness and you sense it,
you see it, then you go to talk
to somebody in authority.
00:42:45.09\00:42:51.93
That's your professor.
That's your dean. That's an
00:42:51.93\00:43:02.04
administrator. That's a
chaplain. You can go to a
pastor. And I want to assure
00:43:02.04\00:43:09.45
you, if you say to that person
of authority, "I need help. My
00:43:09.45\00:43:14.52
friends need help. We need this
wall of fire to protect us from
incoming darkness,"
00:43:14.52\00:43:17.93
I am sure the one in authority
will do what is proper for him
00:43:17.93\00:43:25.60
or her to do. You have been
heard. You have been heard.
After all, what did we just
00:43:25.60\00:43:33.07
read? In their work, the angels,
tens of thousands minister
00:43:33.07\00:43:40.48
to the young, and every adult
in this community is hired to
00:43:40.48\00:43:47.06
protect the young. You're in
safe -- You're in good hands.
00:43:50.23\00:43:56.73
You'll be okay. These
heaven-sent angels are a wall of
fire to keep the darkness out.
00:43:56.73\00:44:02.17
They're here to protect you, who
are young and. They're here to
00:44:02.17\00:44:07.18
protect all of us, to be honest
with you. The truth for all of
us is we cannot let moral
00:44:07.18\00:44:14.02
values, once protected and
embraced, be ignored and
effectively eliminated.
00:44:14.02\00:44:19.62
We can't. We cannot let a
laissez faire spirit allow the
00:44:19.62\00:44:25.89
enemy to import his darkness
into this place through a gaping
hole in our fortification.
00:44:25.89\00:44:30.90
Close the hole. Close
the hole. Keep it out.
00:44:30.90\00:44:38.51
Sometimes, in our efforts to
protect the vulnerable, we may
00:44:41.18\00:44:48.32
inadvertently, unintentionally
endanger the innocent. Of course
00:44:48.32\00:44:55.72
we need to protect the
vulnerable. I get it. I want to
be the first to do that.
00:44:55.72\00:44:59.59
But we need to protect the
innocent, as well. Because if
00:44:59.59\00:45:06.50
we're not careful. What starts
out as protection either becomes
advocacy or can be misunderstood
00:45:06.50\00:45:15.61
as advocacy. And there is nobody
that wants that. "Mission:
Impossible (Maybe)."
00:45:19.15\00:45:28.36
Because it shouldn't be
impossible around here to build
a wall of fire from Heaven.
00:45:28.36\00:45:35.30
That should not be impossible.
Mnh-mnh. Signs and wonders. The
supernatural interventions
00:45:35.30\00:45:42.17
of God to protect his children.
We must pray for these angel
00:45:42.17\00:45:46.88
interventions. We just concluded
a day of prayer. Hallelujah. But
you've got to keep praying.
00:45:46.88\00:45:51.51
You don't stop with one day.
You just pray day after day. But
00:45:51.51\00:45:56.65
listen. Call on the angels, of
course. But we can't ask them to
do what is in our own power to
00:45:56.65\00:46:03.53
do. We need to speak up. We need
to act. How different history
00:46:03.53\00:46:11.10
would be if one man named Martin
Luther had not spoken up to
challenge the incoming darkness,
00:46:11.10\00:46:17.31
the encroaching darkness. How
different history would be if
00:46:17.31\00:46:22.64
one man named Martin Luther King
Jr had not stood up to challenge
the encroaching darkness
00:46:22.64\00:46:31.12
that must be challenged. You
be that man. You be that woman.
00:46:31.12\00:46:37.96
History is changed by courage
like that. This is God's school.
00:46:37.96\00:46:47.60
These are God three campuses.
And, so, we must partner with
God to keep the darkness out.
00:46:47.60\00:46:54.11
And call on the angels. "How
many should we call on, Dwight?"
00:46:54.11\00:46:56.98
I don't know. 100, 1,000. That's
good. Call on the angels.
Hundreds of us pleading
00:46:56.98\00:47:03.69
with God, "Send the angels.
Build the wall of fire. Surround
00:47:03.69\00:47:11.73
us with chariots that will
defend us. This is your school,
O God. This is not my school.
00:47:11.73\00:47:16.16
It's not his school, her school.
This is your school. Save us.
00:47:16.16\00:47:23.61
Help us. John Dawson,
00:47:23.64\00:47:25.84
in his wonderful book,
"Taking Our Cities for God,"
00:47:25.84\00:47:28.61
makes a point I
never read before.
00:47:28.61\00:47:31.18
And I got to share
with you right now.
00:47:31.18\00:47:33.65
John Dawson. "The prayer of a
human being can alter history by
00:47:33.68\00:47:39.55
releasing legions of angels into
the Earth." You don't believe
00:47:39.55\00:47:49.60
that? He's right.
Now, notice his conclusion.
00:47:49.60\00:47:53.34
"Are you serious?
Angels come when I pray?"
00:48:04.88\00:48:07.38
Yeah, they come. Then
call on the King of Angels.
00:48:07.38\00:48:12.15
And why would I stop?
Oh, God, I ran into darkness
00:48:12.15\00:48:15.09
today. Send angels there.
00:48:15.09\00:48:17.96
Why would I quit? Send angels.
00:48:17.96\00:48:21.60
We need help.
00:48:21.60\00:48:23.40
Avatars and angels. Trust
me, the avatars will not deliver
00:48:26.27\00:48:33.27
you. They will sell you short to
the wrong master. It's not worth
00:48:37.08\00:48:44.72
it. It's not worth it.
00:48:44.72\00:48:46.32
So we must pray. There is no
darkness Christ cannot overcome.
00:48:50.56\00:48:56.06
And by the way, he endured the
worst, the most hellish darkness
00:48:56.06\00:49:00.90
of all in history when, on that
cross for three dark, dark
hours, He struggles.
00:49:00.90\00:49:09.21
The angels were held at bay. The
Father himself chose not to
penetrate that darkness.
00:49:09.21\00:49:17.32
And because Jesus has
experienced that darkness, you
and I may never have to live
00:49:17.32\00:49:22.89
in darkness again. If there's
darkness in your life right now,
00:49:22.89\00:49:28.43
ask Jesus. That darkness can be
removed. Needs your permission,
00:49:28.43\00:49:33.94
Of course. If there's darkness
in your soul, call on the King
00:49:33.94\00:49:41.64
of Angels. He's got what you
need. He has all the light. And
00:49:41.64\00:49:45.71
when they show up, it's light.
We must ask. And, so, Elisha
00:49:45.71\00:49:53.56
prayed, "Oh, God, Lord, open his
eyes so that he may see." And
then, the Lord open the eyes
00:49:53.56\00:50:00.06
of the lad, and he looked, and
on the hills, there were horses
and chariots of fire
00:50:00.06\00:50:06.43
all around them.
00:50:06.43\00:50:08.10
So we must ask.
00:50:12.47\00:50:14.08
We must ask. Please.
00:50:17.25\00:50:20.62
How many angels should we ask?
You'll know. Just ask. You'll
00:50:25.45\00:50:37.87
know. Would you pray? Would you
be willing to be one of those
00:50:37.87\00:50:42.40
100 pleaders that we need to ask
God to keep sending angels this
direction? I'm going to pray
00:50:42.40\00:50:50.31
with you. But I want to put the
Connect Card here first
electronically. If you're here,
00:50:50.31\00:50:57.09
just text MISSION3 to the number
you know, 269-281-2345. Text
00:50:57.09\00:51:05.69
MISSION3 to 289-- 269-281-2345.
Because here's what I need. I
need you to say yes to this
00:51:05.69\00:51:13.44
one.
00:51:13.44\00:51:14.67
And it'll set you
right up to see this.
00:51:14.70\00:51:17.91
I'll ask Him. He,
Dwight. I'll ask. I'll join you.
00:51:27.78\00:51:31.55
Come on. Would you really? Put
a check mark there. Say, yeah,
00:51:31.55\00:51:38.56
I'll do that. Not costing you a
thing. But it can make the
difference for somebody who's in
00:51:38.56\00:51:44.57
darkness that needs
light and deliverance.
00:51:44.57\00:51:47.60
And the other one?
00:51:52.24\00:51:53.68
Some of you have been thinking
about baptism, haven't thought
about it at all maybe.
00:51:58.45\00:52:04.05
It doesn't matter, either one.
There's no sense -- There's no
00:52:04.05\00:52:08.99
sense living in a world in
between these armies. Both sides
00:52:08.99\00:52:15.50
want you. Only one side died for
you. And only one side can save
you. And that's the Jesus.
00:52:15.50\00:52:21.50
Put a check mark there. Send
a note to me electronically.
00:52:21.50\00:52:24.71
Say, "Yo, I'd like to think
about it. I'm not committing to
00:52:24.71\00:52:28.14
it right now. I'm not
going to make that decision.
00:52:28.14\00:52:31.65
I just -- Pray for me. Get in
touch with me, will you? Get in
00:52:31.65\00:52:37.15
touch with me." If you put a
check mark there, we'll be in
00:52:37.19\00:52:39.45
touch with you
electronically. Why not?
00:52:39.45\00:52:42.72
Hey, they're choosing up
sides faster and faster now.
00:52:42.72\00:52:47.40
Why not make your
decision today? Come on. Today.
00:52:47.46\00:52:52.33
Today. Put a check
mark there, send, we got it.
00:52:52.33\00:52:58.11
I want to pray with you. Oh,
God. You must really love us.
00:52:58.11\00:53:04.28
This is unbelievable. Why would
a God go to this much trouble to
00:53:04.28\00:53:10.39
save little old me, little old
us. Oh. We don't understand the
00:53:10.39\00:53:18.59
depth of your love for us. But
there isn't a soul here that
doesn't understand the intensity
00:53:18.59\00:53:24.00
of the war going on right now.
And we want to be on the right
00:53:24.00\00:53:28.37
side. Send angels to us,
please. Send more angels. We're
00:53:28.37\00:53:35.44
wavering. We're not sure yet.
Don't want to step across the
00:53:35.44\00:53:39.01
line. God, we can't live in
between. No man can serve both
sides. No woman can serve both
00:53:39.01\00:53:44.49
sides. You're either on
one or the other. Send angels.
00:53:44.49\00:53:48.12
Waft the influence of Heaven
over our minds and our hearts
00:53:48.12\00:53:54.13
and let us choose the King of
Angels to be our Lord and
Savior. Save us all in Christ
00:53:54.13\00:54:02.80
right now with that
wall of fire. In Jesus' name.
00:54:02.80\00:54:11.25
Jesus, the friend
of sinners' name. Amen.
00:54:11.25\00:54:18.65
[ "Jesus, What a
Friend for Sinners" begins ]
00:54:18.69\00:54:23.66
¤¤ ¤¤
00:54:23.66\00:54:32.43
¤¤
00:54:32.43\00:54:38.14
>> Amen. Let's bow our
heads for the benediction.
00:56:41.63\00:56:47.20
And now, may the Lord
bless you and keep you.
00:56:47.24\00:56:51.44
Lord, make His
face to shine upon you
00:56:51.44\00:56:53.61
and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance
00:56:53.61\00:56:56.91
upon you and give you
peace now and forevermore.
00:56:56.91\00:57:00.58
Let all the church say... Amen.
00:57:00.58\00:57:03.72
>> Thank you for taking the time
to join us in worship today.
00:57:06.29\00:57:08.39
I'd like to spend another
moment with you here at the end
00:57:08.39\00:57:10.39
of our program to
share a word of hope.
00:57:10.39\00:57:12.46
In fact, that's what
this little book is all about.
00:57:12.46\00:57:14.73
In these uncertain times,
and let's face it, they're
00:57:14.73\00:57:16.80
uncertain all over this
planet, this book, entitled
00:57:16.80\00:57:19.63
"The Great Hope,"
will help you understand
00:57:19.63\00:57:22.04
not just what God has
planned for your future
00:57:22.04\00:57:24.21
but for the future of
the entire human race.
00:57:24.21\00:57:26.57
Light keeps shining on this
dark old world, and new truths,
00:57:26.57\00:57:29.44
long forgotten, are
being constantly rediscovered.
00:57:29.44\00:57:32.68
If you need a fresh dose of
hope for your life these days,
00:57:32.68\00:57:35.48
or you know somebody
else who could sure use
00:57:35.48\00:57:37.79
that gift of hope,
then I'd like to invite you
00:57:37.79\00:57:39.85
to grab your phone,
dial our toll-free number...
00:57:39.85\00:57:41.89
887, the two words
"His will." 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:41.89\00:57:46.49
And at no charge to you,
we'll get a copy in the mail
00:57:46.49\00:57:49.16
to you right away.
Till the next time we meet,
00:57:49.16\00:57:52.23
may the peace and hope of
the Lord Jesus be with you 24/7.
00:57:52.23\00:57:56.87
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:59.71\00:58:13.62
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:13.62\00:58:27.54