A great controversy
rages between good and evil
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and humanity is
caught in the crossfire.
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Satan has crafted his most
cunning end-time deceptions
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but his plans
are doomed to fail.
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Get ready to
anchor your minds in truth
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as the Bible exposes his lies
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and prepares us for
our soon-coming Savior.
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And now live from the
Campus Hill Church of SDA's
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in Loma Linda, California,
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we bring you
this presentation of:
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It's my privilege now to intro-
duce our speaker of the hour.
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I literally have
pages and pages and pages
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so I'm not going to
bother to read them.
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Dr. Ben Carson, a
famed neurosurgeon,
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that literally has accomplished
things that nobody dreamed
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possible... especially
him in his early years.
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And getting full
scholarship to Yale.
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You know about
the conjoined twins,
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and I'm here with
family, folks around the world
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and I could go on and on
and on about the degrees,
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about his accomplishments,
but what I want to talk about
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for just a moment today
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is the fact and the reason
that we have invited him here -
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we're so thankful that he came -
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is he's a man who
loves Jesus. Amen!
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Dr. Ben Carson
has taken a stand:
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"Lord, whatever You want me to
do, wherever You want me to go
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that's what I'll do.
Whatever You want me to be. "
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He and Candy both are
dedicated brothers and sisters
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SDA Christians and they
represent around the world
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and have
influence on so many people.
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I've been blessed
to know this man, so
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today I simply will
introduce him as our brother
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Dr. Ben Carson.
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Boy, I tell you: the music here
is worth the price of admission
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right there. You
don't need to hear me.
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This is wonderful!
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And before I get started
I'd just like to have a word
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of prayer. Most
kind and gracious Father
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in heaven, thank you so much for
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this place of peace
where we can come together
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and worship You. Amen!
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We ask that You would
let the words that are spoken
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not be my words but Your words.
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And let our hearts be
prepared to hear Your message.
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I ask in the worthy
name of Jesus, Amen. Amen!
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So I thought I'd talk
a little bit today about
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who are we as Christians
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in the society in
which we live today.
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You know, it's becoming a
little more difficult these days
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sometimes to live
by Christian principles
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without being attacked.
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But didn't Jesus
say: "If you follow Me
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you're going to
have some trouble? "
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So that really shouldn't
be particularly surprising.
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It should be in
a way comforting.
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But, you know, for me
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my foundation started
right here in the church
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as a youngster
listening to the mission story.
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I used to love
those mission stories.
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They don't do
that so much anymore.
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And it was mostly missionaries
and missionary doctors
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going to Africa and
India and all these places
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and talking to what
they called the "heathen. "
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Now probably
missionaries from those places
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come here I suspect.
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But things have
changed a little bit.
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But, you know, progress-
ing on from kindergarten
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to primary and the Primary
Treasure and figuring out all
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those little
puzzles they had in there.
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And then the Junior Guides and
all those inspirational stories
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and little
worksheets that they had.
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But probably the
most important thing were
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so many of the sermons.
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And I can remember
so many sermons that
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really prepared you
and gave you the faith
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that you were going to
need no matter what aspect
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of life you pursued.
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But one of the common
threads through all of it
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was care of the vulnerable.
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Care of the needy.
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Care of the poor.
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And Jesus Himself
spent a lot of time
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with the vulnerable
people of our society...
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with the poor
people of our society,
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and I think that is
a message for us today.
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Not to look our nose down
at people who aren't doing well
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and just tell them: "Pull your-
self-up by your bootstraps. "
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You know, that
may be what you did
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but it may have been a
different circumstance.
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Everybody has
different circumstances
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and we have to start thinking
about "What would Jesus do? "
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Amen.
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How would Jesus treat poor
people? The homeless people?
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The people who are
strung out on drugs?
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The people who have
severe mental illnesses?
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You know, in Proverbs 14:31
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the Bible says: "He
that oppresses the poor
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reproaches his Maker,
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but he that honoreth
Him has mercy on the poor. "
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Now think about that:
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reproaching your Maker
by oppressing the poor.
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And what is oppressing the poor?
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Some people, you
know, their minds go back to
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medieval Europe
with princes and serfs
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and they were
oppressing the poor.
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You don't have
to go back that far.
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We have people who
oppress the poor right here
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in our own country
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because it is
oppressing the poor
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when you keep them poor.
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When you do
things that prevent them
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from climbing the
ladder of opportunity.
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Amen. And we all
have spheres of influence.
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We all have the ability
to extend a helping hand
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to somebody in our environment,
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to somebody in our orbit,
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to give them that
opportunity to be successful.
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And particularly when we
talk about our place in society
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as Christians.
What does James say
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in the first chapter
of James the 27th verse?
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"Pure religion and undefiled
before God and the Father
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is this: to visit
the fatherless and widows
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in their affliction
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and to keep himself
unspotted from the world. "
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The fatherless... In other
words, he was talking about
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people who don't have
a positive support system
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to help themselves.
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The widows... He's talking
about people who have fallen
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upon hard times.
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And when he says to visit
them he's not just talking about
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going and say:
"Hi... I visited you. "
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He's talking about helping them.
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Utilizing the
resources that you have
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to actually help them.
"And to keep himself unspotted
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from the world. "
Don't be like everybody else.
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You should be able
to be distinguished
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from there because
this is who you are.
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That's how we fit in.
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You know, I can
remember poverty so well
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as a youngster.
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And I have to admit
I did not like poverty.
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You know, some
people don't like rats
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and some people don't
like roaches and spiders.
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I hated poverty.
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And I can vividly remember
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when I was in the 5th grade
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and every now and then the
teacher would say: "Tomorrow
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there are going
to be popcorn balls
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and they're a nickel apiece.
So if you want to purchase one,
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bring a nickel. " Some kids
would bring a dime or a quarter.
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Some people even brought
a whole dollar and bought
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a whole bag of them.
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I never had a popcorn ball.
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We didn't have an
extra nickel to spare.
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And they looked so
good I've gotta tell you.
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There was nothing
better than a popcorn ball.
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But you know
what? As life goes on
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and you can
afford a popcorn ball
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then they're not that great.
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Isn't that the way it
is with "stuff" in general?
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It doesn't matter what it
is. Maybe you want a Corvette
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or maybe you want a Mercedes.
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But, you know,
when you can afford one
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they're not
that great. You know?
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Because it's "stuff, " and
that's what Jesus talked about.
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You know, don't make your
treasures on this "stuff. "
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Your treasure
should be in heaven. AMEN!
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This is what's really important.
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Once you come to realize
that, stuff doesn't bother you.
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And you know, the
fact of the matter is
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when it comes to poverty
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compared to God
00:10:11.97\00:10:14.78
everybody here lives in poverty.
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The richest man in the world
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is no different than
the poorest man in the world
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when you compare them with God
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and His power
and His wealth. Amen.
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And we would do good
to remember that because
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sometimes people accumulate a
little bit of material "stuff"
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and they start thinking that
they're better than everybody
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else. And they're not... and
what they really should be doing
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is thanking God
for the blessings
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and being willing to share those
blessings with other people.
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You know, one of the reasons
that God instituted a tithe
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is because He wanted
us to be used to the idea
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of giving and
helping other people.
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Does He need our
tithe? Of course He doesn't.
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He owns everything;
He controls everything.
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But it gives us an opportunity
to start looking at other people
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with love, with real
compassion in their hearts.
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But I remember as a youngster
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I had this giant dream
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of becoming middle class.
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It just seemed like so
cool to be middle class
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and to be able to just do
stuff like regular people.
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It's amazing, you
know, what we dream about.
00:11:40.33\00:11:42.90
But my mother had
dreams, too. Her dream
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was for me and my
brother to be successful.
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My mother was an
extremely attractive woman.
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There were no
end of male suitors.
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You know, after they got
divorced... You know, she was
00:11:56.14\00:11:58.78
born to a very large
family in rural Tennessee.
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Got married when she was 13
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trying to escape just
horrible circumstances.
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Had less than a
3rd grade education.
00:12:10.33\00:12:12.79
And then years later
discovered that her husband,
00:12:13.29\00:12:19.23
my father, was a bigamist.
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Had another family.
00:12:22.30\00:12:23.67
And obviously that
resulted in a divorce.
00:12:24.77\00:12:28.78
But she was struggling,
trying to keep it all together.
00:12:29.68\00:12:33.65
And she was a
very unusual person.
00:12:34.75\00:12:36.69
She did not want to be
dependent on the government
00:12:36.89\00:12:41.89
so she worked very hard -
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2 to 3 jobs at a
time - as a domestic.
00:12:45.49\00:12:48.36
She would leave at 5 in the
morning, get back after midnight
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day after day.
Sometimes we only saw her
00:12:53.50\00:12:55.60
on the weekend because
we were in bed when she left
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and we were in bed
when she came home. But...
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She would come home;
she would fix our lunch;
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she would take care of stuff.
00:13:04.95\00:13:06.72
But we
frequently didn't see her.
00:13:06.92\00:13:09.05
But it was
really... it was a ploy
00:13:09.95\00:13:13.36
because you see she
wasn't really a domestic...
00:13:13.76\00:13:16.79
she was a spy.
00:13:17.19\00:13:19.03
She was spying on those
people that she was working for
00:13:21.16\00:13:24.50
'cause she wanted to know
why they were so successful
00:13:24.70\00:13:26.80
and why did they live
in these beautiful homes.
00:13:27.67\00:13:29.90
And she concluded that it
was because they didn't watch
00:13:30.11\00:13:34.28
a lot of TV and
they read a lot of books.
00:13:34.48\00:13:37.71
So she came home and she
imposed that on me and my
00:13:38.85\00:13:41.78
brother. And we
were not "happy campers"
00:13:41.98\00:13:46.22
I've gotta tell you. If
it had been today's world,
00:13:46.42\00:13:48.86
we probably would have
called social services on her.
00:13:49.06\00:13:51.69
But in those days you
had to do what your parents
00:13:51.89\00:13:56.87
told you to do. So... we
started reading those books.
00:13:57.07\00:14:02.37
And before that I
was a terrible student.
00:14:02.77\00:14:07.38
I was the worst
student you could imagine.
00:14:07.58\00:14:09.18
Then I remember one day
they were doing eye exams
00:14:09.71\00:14:13.65
and they
discovered that I couldn't see
00:14:13.85\00:14:15.75
and I got a pair of glasses.
00:14:15.95\00:14:17.49
You know, I didn't know
anybody could see the board.
00:14:17.85\00:14:19.69
This was new to me.
00:14:19.89\00:14:22.12
But suddenly I
could see the board
00:14:23.93\00:14:26.29
and I went from a F
student to a D student!
00:14:26.49\00:14:29.63
And I was so
pleased with myself.
00:14:30.83\00:14:34.14
My mother was not happy at all.
00:14:35.30\00:14:37.11
But I kept reading
and reading those books
00:14:38.01\00:14:42.51
and learning more and more.
00:14:42.91\00:14:44.55
And you know, within the
space of a year and a half
00:14:44.75\00:14:47.28
I went from the bottom of the
class to the top of the class.
00:14:48.08\00:14:50.65
And those same
students who were laughing at me
00:14:51.52\00:14:54.12
and calling me dummy were
coming to me saying: "Benny,
00:14:54.32\00:14:56.12
Benny, Benny: how do
you work this problem? "
00:14:56.32\00:14:57.86
And I would say: "Sit
at my feet, youngster,
00:14:59.09\00:15:00.76
while I instruct you. "
00:15:00.96\00:15:02.30
I was...
perhaps... a little obnoxious.
00:15:03.60\00:15:05.90
But it sure felt good to
say that to those turkeys.
00:15:07.00\00:15:09.24
But, you know, I
had a real revolution
00:15:09.44\00:15:14.04
in the way that I
thought as I read those books
00:15:14.34\00:15:18.21
because I read about
scientists and explorers
00:15:18.71\00:15:21.82
and philosophers
and entrepreneurs
00:15:22.02\00:15:24.99
and all kinds of people.
00:15:25.19\00:15:26.52
And I began to see
some common threads
00:15:26.89\00:15:31.43
and I began to
recognize that the person
00:15:31.93\00:15:35.56
who has the most to do
with what happens to you
00:15:36.06\00:15:38.80
in the course of life is you.
00:15:39.00\00:15:43.67
It's not somebody else.
People around me were saying
00:15:44.67\00:15:48.58
"It's those people who
are keeping you down. "
00:15:49.61\00:15:52.31
"It's this circumstance
that's keeping you down. "
00:15:52.81\00:15:55.02
And you know what? Maybe they
WERE trying to keep you down.
00:15:55.92\00:15:59.59
But I began to understand
what my mother was saying
00:16:00.49\00:16:05.03
when she would say to me:
"If you walk into an auditorium
00:16:05.99\00:16:09.46
full of racist,
bigoted people... "
00:16:09.66\00:16:11.77
she said... "you
don't have a problem...
00:16:12.70\00:16:15.67
they have a problem.
00:16:16.07\00:16:17.81
Because, you see,
they're all going to cringe
00:16:18.21\00:16:21.01
and wonder if you're
going to sit next to them
00:16:21.21\00:16:22.71
whereas you can go
sit anywhere you want. "
00:16:22.91\00:16:24.25
And realize that you DO
have control in your life
00:16:29.75\00:16:35.69
even if there are people
placing obstacles in your way.
00:16:35.89\00:16:39.03
You know, like a hurdle...
every time you jump over one
00:16:39.43\00:16:44.83
you get better.
It strengthens you.
00:16:45.23\00:16:48.17
Doesn't mean that we shouldn't
make an effort to remove
00:16:48.57\00:16:52.27
those hurdles. And we all
have spheres of influence.
00:16:52.47\00:16:56.64
And we can demonstrate in
those spheres of influence
00:16:57.05\00:17:00.62
what real love
and compassion is.
00:17:01.12\00:17:03.55
You know, I find it sad
00:17:04.62\00:17:09.49
that there are still
people in our society
00:17:10.46\00:17:12.79
who look at others and
make judgments about them
00:17:14.50\00:17:19.47
based on their
external characteristics.
00:17:20.24\00:17:22.97
The color of their skin,
00:17:24.34\00:17:26.17
the texture of their hair,
00:17:26.37\00:17:28.11
their national origin.
00:17:28.51\00:17:30.88
Because as a neurosurgeon
when I took someone to the
00:17:32.85\00:17:36.69
operating room
and opened their heads
00:17:36.89\00:17:38.75
and started
working on their brain
00:17:38.95\00:17:40.69
I couldn't tell what those
external characteristics were.
00:17:41.89\00:17:45.66
Their brains were all the same.
00:17:47.30\00:17:49.96
And what makes you who you are?
00:17:50.17\00:17:52.83
Is it your nose?
Or is it your brain?
00:17:53.03\00:17:55.64
And you know, only people
who think very superficially
00:17:56.60\00:18:01.98
think that they can
characterize somebody on the
00:18:02.48\00:18:05.45
basis of their
external characteristics.
00:18:05.65\00:18:07.98
Amen! And we should
make that very clear
00:18:08.18\00:18:11.29
in the spheres of
influence in which we live.
00:18:11.69\00:18:15.22
Well... one of the things
00:18:16.62\00:18:20.16
that I learned is that reading
00:18:20.36\00:18:25.13
works much better when it
comes to accumulating knowledge
00:18:26.20\00:18:30.67
than watching television.
00:18:31.57\00:18:32.97
Because, you know, when you read
00:18:33.38\00:18:35.61
you're looking at
words all the time
00:18:36.01\00:18:38.11
so you learn how to spell.
You can always tell a reader
00:18:39.28\00:18:41.55
'cause they know how to spell.
00:18:41.75\00:18:43.08
And people who
don't know how to spell
00:18:44.45\00:18:46.39
they write real
sloppy so you can't tell.
00:18:46.79\00:18:48.86
Have you noticed that?
00:18:49.06\00:18:50.39
There's a lot of
doctors who can't spell.
00:18:52.93\00:18:54.93
But you know, you have to take
those words and you make them
00:19:01.90\00:19:05.57
into sentences so you
learn grammar and syntax.
00:19:05.77\00:19:09.58
And you have to
take those sentences
00:19:10.61\00:19:12.95
and you have to
make those into concepts
00:19:13.35\00:19:17.09
so you learn to
use your imagination.
00:19:17.29\00:19:19.92
You watch television, somebody's
already done all of that stuff
00:19:20.12\00:19:22.86
already so you're not
really exercising your brain
00:19:23.06\00:19:27.50
to the extent that
you should be able to.
00:19:27.66\00:19:30.43
It's one of the
reasons that my wife and I
00:19:30.63\00:19:33.94
and the Carson Scholars Fund
00:19:35.10\00:19:38.01
put so much emphasis on reading.
00:19:38.21\00:19:41.24
And we open up reading
rooms all over the country.
00:19:42.11\00:19:45.58
In fact, Candy was
here I think last week
00:19:45.78\00:19:48.45
opening up a few reading
rooms here in California.
00:19:48.65\00:19:51.42
There are several
here in California.
00:19:51.62\00:19:53.66
These are incredible places that
no young person would pass up
00:19:53.86\00:19:58.49
the way that they're
decorated. And they get points
00:19:58.69\00:20:01.70
for every book they read.
And they can trade those in
00:20:01.90\00:20:05.20
for prizes. And in the
beginning they're interested in
00:20:05.40\00:20:08.50
the prizes, but it doesn't
take long before that has
00:20:08.70\00:20:10.57
a profound effect on
their academic performance.
00:20:10.77\00:20:13.61
Which is what we're
really trying to do because
00:20:13.81\00:20:16.24
research has demonstrated
00:20:16.64\00:20:18.98
that if a child is
reading at grade level
00:20:19.38\00:20:22.65
by grade 3 it changes
the trajectory of their life.
00:20:23.05\00:20:26.82
And their life is: finishing
school, not dropping out,
00:20:27.02\00:20:30.29
all of that is
impacted significantly.
00:20:30.49\00:20:33.56
And it's also said
00:20:34.76\00:20:37.20
that during
those first few years
00:20:38.37\00:20:43.10
you learn to read.
00:20:43.84\00:20:45.77
After that you read to learn.
00:20:45.97\00:20:49.34
Amen. It makes a big difference
00:20:49.54\00:20:52.05
in what happens to you in life.
00:20:52.25\00:20:55.32
And that's what we
have to begin to emphasize.
00:20:55.72\00:20:58.15
Instead of going
around and making excuses
00:20:58.55\00:21:02.62
and creating all
kinds of problems
00:21:02.82\00:21:04.43
let's do things
based on what we know.
00:21:04.63\00:21:07.70
We know that if we
cultivate a young person's brain
00:21:07.90\00:21:12.50
and we give them what they need
00:21:13.47\00:21:15.77
to become
intellectually sufficient
00:21:16.50\00:21:19.77
they're going to do OK.
00:21:20.84\00:21:22.54
They're going to do just fine.
00:21:22.94\00:21:24.85
And that's why we need
to do everything we can
00:21:25.25\00:21:27.68
to make sure that we have
not only a good educational
00:21:27.88\00:21:31.55
system but good access
to people for education.
00:21:31.75\00:21:36.93
It's going to be
interesting because,
00:21:37.33\00:21:39.06
you know, we're entering a
new phase now of education.
00:21:39.46\00:21:43.60
It's based on the Internet.
00:21:46.57\00:21:48.87
It's based on
people being able to get
00:21:49.07\00:21:52.47
information much more
rapidly than they could before.
00:21:52.67\00:21:55.68
Have you noticed
now that there's no more
00:21:55.88\00:21:58.21
old people with senior moments?
00:21:58.61\00:22:01.18
Because all they have to do
is pull out their Smartphone
00:22:07.39\00:22:10.53
and find out what
it is that they forgot.
00:22:11.03\00:22:14.30
OK?
00:22:14.50\00:22:15.96
But, you know, with education
00:22:16.46\00:22:19.43
we are not very far away
00:22:19.63\00:22:22.17
from virtual reality.
00:22:22.57\00:22:25.44
People won't even
need to go to school.
00:22:26.57\00:22:28.84
They'll put on their headsets...
00:22:29.24\00:22:31.15
You know, I've had an
opportunity to use some of those
00:22:31.65\00:22:34.92
virtual reality headsets.
00:22:35.12\00:22:36.92
It's pretty amazing.
00:22:37.12\00:22:38.75
I mean, you can be in
Greece; you can be in Rome.
00:22:38.95\00:22:42.56
You can be in Egypt;
you can be in your backyard
00:22:42.76\00:22:46.09
and have a tutorial on
how you find the energy source
00:22:46.39\00:22:52.33
that's coming into
your house and open it up
00:22:52.53\00:22:54.87
and which things you can move
without electrocuting yourself.
00:22:55.07\00:22:58.37
All of that stuff
is readily available
00:22:58.77\00:23:01.91
and it's getting even better.
00:23:02.11\00:23:04.01
Can you imagine what
that's going to do to education?
00:23:04.21\00:23:06.48
Can you imagine what
it's going to do for work?
00:23:06.68\00:23:09.58
In a way it's good
00:23:10.69\00:23:13.39
because there won't be
so much traffic congestion
00:23:13.59\00:23:16.76
because, you know, people
can work from wherever they are.
00:23:17.16\00:23:20.70
But in a way it's terrible
00:23:20.90\00:23:25.17
because people are not develop-
ing interpersonal relationships
00:23:26.20\00:23:31.24
with other people
the way that they should.
00:23:31.44\00:23:34.64
And it's something that we're
going to have to be very careful
00:23:35.04\00:23:38.15
of. Parents,
particularly of young children:
00:23:38.35\00:23:42.95
just realize they are
being exposed to things
00:23:44.12\00:23:49.42
that would have been unimagin-
able when you were a child.
00:23:49.62\00:23:53.13
Constantly they're being
bombarded with this stuff.
00:23:54.13\00:23:58.60
And that's why it
becomes so vitally important
00:23:59.00\00:24:02.04
to spend time
with your children.
00:24:02.44\00:24:04.47
"Train up a child in
the way he should go;
00:24:05.31\00:24:07.74
when he is old he
will not depart from it. "
00:24:08.48\00:24:10.35
I know some of you are saying:
"When are they going to get
00:24:11.21\00:24:13.18
old? " But you know,
the fact of the matter is
00:24:13.38\00:24:16.12
it is our responsibility
00:24:18.12\00:24:20.36
to develop the right
kind of relationship with them
00:24:21.32\00:24:24.99
so that they get that
solid foundation early on.
00:24:25.39\00:24:29.43
Because they are
going to be bombarded
00:24:29.63\00:24:32.13
in the society
that we live in now
00:24:32.53\00:24:34.80
with a lot of things
that are not Biblical.
00:24:35.20\00:24:38.31
And here's where
courage comes in.
00:24:39.97\00:24:43.04
It is very very easy
00:24:44.88\00:24:48.28
to just go along with
what's politically correct.
00:24:49.75\00:24:52.85
What everybody
says is the right thing.
00:24:53.99\00:24:57.83
It takes a lot more courage
00:24:59.03\00:25:01.23
to always do what God says.
00:25:02.16\00:25:04.40
Amen!
00:25:04.60\00:25:06.13
You know, that was in the
Sabbath School lesson today
00:25:06.33\00:25:08.24
with Daniel.
00:25:08.44\00:25:09.77
He could easily have closed
the doors and not let anybody
00:25:10.24\00:25:13.64
see him praying.
00:25:13.84\00:25:15.51
But he was true to his God.
00:25:16.58\00:25:18.78
And if we are true to God
00:25:19.91\00:25:22.45
and true to His Word
and what the Bible says,
00:25:22.65\00:25:26.19
then we are not
going to be swayed
00:25:27.96\00:25:32.33
when people come along and say:
00:25:33.46\00:25:35.70
"Yeah, I know it says that
in the Bible, but, you know,
00:25:36.10\00:25:38.63
that was thousands of years ago
00:25:38.83\00:25:40.64
and God is different now and,
00:25:40.84\00:25:43.81
you know, this is
what it means now. "
00:25:44.01\00:25:46.41
Can I tell you something?
00:25:46.81\00:25:48.24
God says He changes not.
00:25:48.64\00:25:52.18
AMEN!
00:25:52.38\00:25:53.72
And think about
this: the Bible says
00:25:53.85\00:25:56.38
to God "a day is
like a thousand years
00:25:57.42\00:26:02.62
and a thousand
years is like a day. "
00:26:02.82\00:26:04.49
So really when you say: "that
was thousands of years ago... "
00:26:05.83\00:26:10.83
Say it was 2,000 years ago...
00:26:11.03\00:26:13.87
What's today?
Saturday? It was like Thursday.
00:26:15.20\00:26:17.37
OK? In God's sight.
00:26:17.57\00:26:20.18
So there's not a
lot of impetus or time
00:26:21.28\00:26:25.75
for Him to be changing things.
00:26:25.95\00:26:27.78
And why would He
need to change things
00:26:28.18\00:26:30.32
because He's perfect. Amen!
00:26:31.25\00:26:33.62
He's God.
00:26:33.82\00:26:35.16
And our challenge
is: do we believe that
00:26:35.92\00:26:39.19
or do we believe in man?
00:26:40.56\00:26:42.90
Do we believe what man tells us?
00:26:43.77\00:26:46.20
What people say to us?
00:26:46.40\00:26:49.84
You know, I do not
believe in what man says.
00:26:50.04\00:26:54.54
I guess I should be
equal: what woman says, too.
00:26:54.94\00:26:59.05
I believe in what God says.
00:27:01.15\00:27:03.52
And I do not believe
in any political party.
00:27:05.22\00:27:09.79
You know, when
people align themselves
00:27:10.89\00:27:15.76
slavishly to any
political ideology
00:27:16.87\00:27:21.00
and they place that
over their allegiance to God
00:27:22.24\00:27:24.81
they have done wrong, and they
will go in the wrong direction.
00:27:25.01\00:27:28.11
Amen! We must always
00:27:28.31\00:27:32.11
pledge allegiance to God.
00:27:34.22\00:27:37.55
Amen! And you think about it.
00:27:37.75\00:27:40.16
I was talking about
compassion a little while ago.
00:27:40.46\00:27:43.43
I mean, what is true compassion?
00:27:44.29\00:27:48.10
Is it finding a poor person
00:27:50.67\00:27:52.80
and just patting them
on the head and saying:
00:27:53.20\00:27:55.67
"There, there,
you poor little thing:
00:27:55.87\00:27:57.34
I'm going to take
care of all your needs. "
00:27:57.74\00:27:59.77
"Got free stuff for you. "
00:27:59.97\00:28:02.18
OR is it providing a mechanism
00:28:02.58\00:28:07.35
for that person to
develop their God-given talents
00:28:07.55\00:28:11.35
and develop a life of dignity?
00:28:11.55\00:28:14.82
Which one is compassion?
00:28:15.59\00:28:17.89
And when we think about Jesus...
00:28:19.06\00:28:22.10
and again, I
think about Him a lot
00:28:22.30\00:28:26.40
whenever I have
a decision to make.
00:28:26.60\00:28:28.50
Think about some of the
parables He told in the Bible.
00:28:29.84\00:28:33.27
For those who think that
we should say: "There, there,
00:28:34.61\00:28:38.51
you poor little thing.
Nobody needs to do something;
00:28:38.71\00:28:41.82
I'll take care of you"
think about the parable
00:28:42.02\00:28:45.85
of the talents.
00:28:46.05\00:28:47.89
Who was He very pleased with?
00:28:49.49\00:28:53.19
Those who took what
they had and developed it
00:28:53.60\00:28:57.57
and used it and grew it.
00:28:57.73\00:28:59.60
Or those who buried it
00:29:01.00\00:29:02.84
and just said: "I just
want to make sure that you're
00:29:03.04\00:29:06.27
happy with me. "
00:29:06.47\00:29:07.81
He wants us to use
what He's given us.
00:29:09.04\00:29:12.15
He's given us
these amazing brains.
00:29:12.35\00:29:14.42
We're made in God's image.
00:29:15.45\00:29:17.25
Amen! You have a brain
that has billions and billions
00:29:17.45\00:29:22.66
of neurons. Hundreds of
billions of interconnections
00:29:22.86\00:29:26.93
that remembers
everything you've ever seen,
00:29:27.13\00:29:29.16
everything you've ever done,
00:29:29.36\00:29:31.23
everything you've ever heard.
00:29:31.63\00:29:33.94
It's all in
there... which is why...
00:29:34.14\00:29:38.21
Remember when
you were a little tot
00:29:38.41\00:29:40.54
there's a song: "Be careful
little eyes what you see?
00:29:40.74\00:29:43.81
Little ears... " All
that stuff goes in there.
00:29:44.01\00:29:46.88
It does not go away.
00:29:47.78\00:29:49.72
It influences how you act
00:29:49.92\00:29:54.02
even at a subconscious level.
00:29:54.22\00:29:56.76
So you need to be careful.
00:29:57.99\00:29:59.56
But if you think about
what the brain can do...
00:30:00.36\00:30:04.23
Have you ever heard someone say:
00:30:04.43\00:30:06.43
"Don't learn this... you're
going to clog your brain. "
00:30:06.63\00:30:09.54
"You're going to
overload your brain. "
00:30:09.94\00:30:11.81
Guess what? You cannot
overload the human brain.
00:30:12.64\00:30:16.85
Amen! If you learn
one new fact every second,
00:30:17.05\00:30:22.32
and that's very hard to do,
00:30:23.82\00:30:25.69
every second it
would take you in excess
00:30:27.02\00:30:31.79
of 3 million years
to overload your brain.
00:30:31.99\00:30:35.76
Wow! I don't know
anybody who lives that long
00:30:35.96\00:30:39.23
so I don't think
you ever need to worry.
00:30:39.43\00:30:41.40
The next time somebody
tells you that you're going to
00:30:41.60\00:30:43.77
overload your brain
please let them know that.
00:30:43.97\00:30:46.04
But when I think
about real compassion
00:30:48.94\00:30:52.91
I think about Jesus.
00:30:54.05\00:30:55.82
What did He do? Here He is
00:30:56.89\00:31:00.96
the Creator of the universe,
00:31:02.06\00:31:04.79
all power and
majesty and prestige.
00:31:06.03\00:31:11.97
With all of that
He humbled Himself.
00:31:12.27\00:31:17.64
He came here as a man.
00:31:18.81\00:31:23.38
He was humiliated,
00:31:24.88\00:31:26.85
tortured, and killed.
00:31:28.05\00:31:32.05
Why? Because He loves us. Amen!
00:31:34.19\00:31:37.73
Think about that.
00:31:38.13\00:31:39.46
I mean, how are we?
00:31:40.20\00:31:42.83
God gave His only
begotten Son for us!
00:31:43.83\00:31:47.60
Who are we?
00:31:49.17\00:31:50.51
I mean, we're slime balls.
00:31:50.61\00:31:53.14
You know, think about it.
00:31:53.34\00:31:54.74
We sin all the time.
00:31:55.14\00:31:56.71
You know, some of us
think we don't sin... but we do.
00:31:57.81\00:32:00.55
If you think you don't sin,
00:32:01.68\00:32:03.65
you're sinning...
'cause you're proud.
00:32:03.85\00:32:05.39
OK? So it really
doesn't matter...
00:32:05.59\00:32:08.86
we're sinful beings
00:32:09.26\00:32:11.23
and that's why
He came to save us.
00:32:12.09\00:32:15.56
And we all know
the verse John 3:16-17.
00:32:17.33\00:32:22.54
"For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten
00:32:22.74\00:32:25.41
Son that
whosoever believeth in Him
00:32:25.61\00:32:30.35
should not perish but
have everlasting life.
00:32:31.55\00:32:33.62
For God sent not His Son into
the world to condemn the world
00:32:33.82\00:32:36.15
but that the world
through Him might be saved. "
00:32:36.55\00:32:40.29
What does that tell you?
00:32:41.32\00:32:43.09
It tells you that
He came to save us!
00:32:44.03\00:32:46.90
He didn't come to condemn us.
00:32:47.30\00:32:49.96
You know, when I was a
kid somehow I developed
00:32:50.80\00:32:53.60
this aberrant notion
00:32:54.00\00:32:57.27
that God was always watching you
00:32:58.07\00:33:01.94
and writing down
every little thing you did
00:33:02.34\00:33:04.81
so that in the Judgment Day
00:33:05.21\00:33:07.45
He could say:
"Remember on April the 17th
00:33:07.65\00:33:10.65
what you did? " But
that's not who God is.
00:33:11.99\00:33:16.79
God will do anything
that He can possibly do
00:33:18.19\00:33:23.57
to save you.
00:33:23.97\00:33:25.30
If that means sometimes allowing
some difficulty in your life
00:33:27.24\00:33:31.81
so that you will
re-direct it to Him,
00:33:32.01\00:33:34.08
He will do that.
00:33:34.68\00:33:36.34
But He knows the
beginning from the end;
00:33:36.54\00:33:38.55
He knows what's necessary
00:33:38.75\00:33:40.62
and He will do whatever it takes
00:33:40.92\00:33:43.62
and you have to actively resist.
00:33:43.82\00:33:46.79
Because I believe
that God will save anybody
00:33:46.99\00:33:51.59
who would be happy in heaven.
00:33:52.66\00:33:55.73
Amen!
00:33:55.93\00:33:57.93
But if you
wouldn't be happy in heaven,
00:33:58.33\00:34:00.40
wouldn't that be
torture to be there forever?
00:34:02.44\00:34:05.31
He loves people enough
00:34:06.94\00:34:08.54
that He's not going
to torture you forever
00:34:08.74\00:34:10.75
by having you in a place where
you're going to be miserable.
00:34:11.25\00:34:13.98
But we need to get our hearts
right and in harmony with Him:
00:34:15.12\00:34:18.65
understanding what in
fact true compassion is
00:34:19.52\00:34:23.76
and letting that be
the thing that drives us
00:34:23.96\00:34:26.83
and doing what is right.
00:34:27.83\00:34:31.13
When we read John 3:16
00:34:32.77\00:34:34.90
think on those words:
"whosoever believeth in Him. "
00:34:36.57\00:34:42.51
It doesn't say:
"Whosoever believeth in Him
00:34:43.48\00:34:46.08
and doesn't eat pork. "
00:34:47.15\00:34:49.18
It doesn't say:
"Whosoever believeth in Him
00:34:50.35\00:34:53.22
and belongs to this party
or belongs to that party. "
00:34:54.42\00:34:59.73
See, we like to
add a lot of stuff on.
00:35:00.13\00:35:02.43
We don't need to be
adding anything to what He says
00:35:03.47\00:35:07.04
and we don't need to be taking
anything away from what He says.
00:35:07.24\00:35:09.77
We need to be
believing what He says.
00:35:10.17\00:35:12.31
Amen! It will make all
the difference in the world.
00:35:12.51\00:35:14.64
And that will just
lead us to do what's right.
00:35:15.04\00:35:17.85
And that has been the case
throughout my medical career.
00:35:19.01\00:35:24.09
I would be faced with
these challenging situations.
00:35:25.82\00:35:29.32
I remember one time
one of the obstetricians
00:35:29.72\00:35:32.29
came to me and he
says: "I have this woman
00:35:32.49\00:35:34.93
and she's having twins.
00:35:35.33\00:35:38.30
And one of them has a
severe case of hydrocephalus
00:35:38.50\00:35:41.34
and the head is
expanding so rapidly
00:35:41.54\00:35:43.64
that she's going to
go into premature labor
00:35:44.04\00:35:46.41
and both twins will be lost.
00:35:46.61\00:35:48.61
And can you do an
operation on that baby
00:35:49.01\00:35:51.91
while it's still in the womb? "
00:35:52.11\00:35:53.48
Well, that was before intra-
uterine surgery was acceptable.
00:35:54.62\00:35:59.99
In fact, there had been
an article in the New England
00:36:00.19\00:36:01.69
Journal of Medicine saying:
"We're not ready for this. "
00:36:01.89\00:36:04.59
But here was a situation
00:36:04.99\00:36:08.26
where not only the baby with
the problem was going to be lost
00:36:08.46\00:36:13.10
but the other baby
was going to be lost, too.
00:36:13.30\00:36:15.77
And as I think about
00:36:17.91\00:36:21.54
how God honors life
00:36:21.74\00:36:25.28
even from conception
00:36:25.68\00:36:27.82
I said: "Lord, please guide me;
show me what needs to be done
00:36:29.68\00:36:34.16
here. " And He guided me to
00:36:34.36\00:36:38.03
a neurosurgeon in Philadelphia
00:36:38.43\00:36:41.36
who had been doing
some experiments on sheep
00:36:41.76\00:36:44.47
with hydrocephalus.
00:36:44.67\00:36:46.74
And he had actually developed
a technique for being able to
00:36:47.70\00:36:50.51
to operate in utero in
the sheep that was pregnant.
00:36:50.71\00:36:54.94
And I said to him: "Do
you think we could modify
00:36:55.14\00:36:58.55
some of what you did
so that we could do this
00:36:58.75\00:37:00.72
in a human being and we could
do it within the next week? "
00:37:00.92\00:37:04.35
Well, you know, what does it say
00:37:09.59\00:37:13.70
in Philippians 4:13?
00:37:13.90\00:37:18.63
"I can do ALL things
00:37:18.93\00:37:21.47
through Christ who stren... "
00:37:21.67\00:37:23.87
So I put it in His hands. I
said: "Lord, can You work this
00:37:24.07\00:37:26.27
out? " He worked it out
00:37:26.47\00:37:28.11
and we were able
to do the operation.
00:37:29.58\00:37:32.38
We couldn't do it at
Johns Hopkins because
00:37:32.58\00:37:35.38
the ethics
committee took too long.
00:37:35.58\00:37:38.45
The babies would have been
dead by the time they finished.
00:37:38.65\00:37:40.66
They're sort of like Congress.
00:37:40.86\00:37:42.46
But at any rate...
00:37:42.66\00:37:44.63
But at any rate, you
know, we did the operation.
00:37:48.13\00:37:53.50
I could actually
see the baby's head
00:37:53.70\00:37:55.30
go down and shrink
right on the ultrasound.
00:37:55.50\00:37:57.97
We were able to
buy several more weeks.
00:37:58.17\00:38:00.78
And then the babies were born
and it was a big national story.
00:38:01.18\00:38:05.18
And then the
controversy started.
00:38:05.38\00:38:07.15
Said: "It's unethical to
operate on babies in utero. "
00:38:07.35\00:38:10.49
But then when it was discovered
00:38:10.89\00:38:12.79
that not only was
the normal baby saved
00:38:12.99\00:38:14.92
but the other baby
was doing well, too,
00:38:15.12\00:38:17.19
then all the critics said:
"Well I would have done that,
00:38:17.59\00:38:19.59
too. " That's kind
of the way it works,
00:38:19.79\00:38:24.20
you know. For the
young people out there
00:38:24.40\00:38:27.00
I'll tell you: you know
when you push the envelope,
00:38:27.20\00:38:30.87
when you do things
sort of outside of the box,
00:38:31.84\00:38:35.38
expect to be criticized.
00:38:35.78\00:38:38.15
OK... that is
always going to happen.
00:38:38.35\00:38:41.55
Don't worry
about that if, in fact,
00:38:42.75\00:38:46.69
you are seeking wisdom
and direction from God.
00:38:47.56\00:38:52.66
That is always the
thing that has guided me.
00:38:53.66\00:38:57.37
I remember there was a
little girl from California
00:38:57.57\00:39:00.14
here. She had a
very complex tumor
00:39:00.34\00:39:03.27
right in the center of her
brain. Everybody said it was
00:39:03.67\00:39:05.84
inoperable. And she
ended up at Johns Hopkins.
00:39:06.04\00:39:11.65
I must say it was a
very intimidating situation.
00:39:11.85\00:39:15.98
But I did operate on her
00:39:16.95\00:39:19.25
and she actually
survived the operation.
00:39:19.65\00:39:22.92
She had some deficits.
00:39:23.32\00:39:26.59
She went back to
California. I lost track of her
00:39:27.00\00:39:31.77
but last month I
was in Las Vegas.
00:39:32.17\00:39:37.54
Not gambling by the way.
00:39:37.94\00:39:40.11
It was business.
00:39:41.51\00:39:42.84
But then I was
notified that there was a family
00:39:43.24\00:39:47.38
that wanted to speak
to me and I went over.
00:39:47.58\00:39:49.95
It was the
girl's aunt and uncle.
00:39:50.15\00:39:53.99
And they just said:
"We want to thank you
00:39:54.39\00:39:57.23
for operating
on our little niece
00:39:57.63\00:40:00.83
that everybody
said was impossible
00:40:01.03\00:40:03.63
thirty years ago and
we just want you to know
00:40:04.13\00:40:07.70
she's 35 years
old and doin' fine. "
00:40:07.90\00:40:10.11
But, you know, listening...
00:40:10.31\00:40:14.14
But some people
said: "Carson's a hot dog.
00:40:17.25\00:40:20.72
He does all this stuff. "
It's not about being a hot dog
00:40:20.92\00:40:23.55
by any stretch
of the imagination.
00:40:23.75\00:40:25.79
It's about listening to the Lord
and listening to His guidance.
00:40:26.19\00:40:31.93
You know, I go back
now that I've retired
00:40:32.13\00:40:34.66
and I look at some
of the operative notes
00:40:34.86\00:40:37.40
and I said: "What? "
00:40:37.60\00:40:40.24
"You did what? " But you
know, it really wasn't me.
00:40:42.00\00:40:45.77
It was Him. And it
doesn't matter whether you're
00:40:46.64\00:40:50.91
a neurosurgeon
or an auto mechanic.
00:40:51.11\00:40:53.38
It doesn't matter what you are:
00:40:53.58\00:40:55.28
if you allow God's guidance,
He will bless whatever it is
00:40:55.48\00:41:01.39
that you're doing. Amen!
00:41:01.59\00:41:03.32
And that's what we need
to make sure that all of our
00:41:03.53\00:41:06.33
children know and understand.
00:41:06.53\00:41:09.86
Proverbs 3:5-6
00:41:10.07\00:41:12.60
"Trust in the Lord
with all your heart;
00:41:13.20\00:41:16.81
lean not to your
own understanding. "
00:41:17.01\00:41:19.84
Your own understanding
will always lead you away.
00:41:20.04\00:41:22.71
And you always acknowledge
Him in everything you do.
00:41:24.71\00:41:29.15
You know, when I
first got into public life
00:41:30.89\00:41:33.96
someone said to me:
00:41:34.46\00:41:36.32
"Congratulations!
This is all great and well
00:41:36.73\00:41:40.10
but you're going to have to
stop with all this God stuff
00:41:41.26\00:41:43.97
because separation of church
and state and all this stuff. "
00:41:44.37\00:41:49.00
And I said: "It's
not going to happen. "
00:41:49.94\00:41:52.91
Amen! I said: "I will gladly
give up anything in government
00:41:53.11\00:41:56.88
but I will never give up God. "
00:41:57.08\00:41:58.68
Amen! And that is absolutely...
00:41:58.88\00:42:02.32
Please tell me: what
is there in government,
00:42:03.65\00:42:06.59
what is there in Hollywood,
00:42:06.79\00:42:10.29
what is there in
the world of finance
00:42:10.69\00:42:13.93
that even begins to compare
with a relationship with God?
00:42:14.33\00:42:18.10
Amen! And how long are we here?
00:42:18.30\00:42:21.50
You know, even if you
get to be 100 years old
00:42:22.64\00:42:25.51
what is that against the
backdrop of eternity? AMEN!
00:42:26.54\00:42:30.98
You know, we have to put all
of these things in perspective.
00:42:31.18\00:42:34.55
And that also removes fear.
00:42:35.65\00:42:39.05
Because even if
you're going to be persecuted
00:42:39.25\00:42:42.02
how long are you
going to be persecuted?
00:42:42.42\00:42:44.86
Compared to the
backdrop of eternity
00:42:45.66\00:42:48.56
it really doesn't matter.
00:42:48.76\00:42:50.67
That's what Paul was talking
about when he said all this
00:42:50.87\00:42:52.83
stuff: "I count it as dung.
" You know, this is nothing
00:42:53.03\00:42:55.67
because he could see
what the big picture was.
00:42:56.44\00:43:00.34
That's what we need
to do: focus on Jesus
00:43:00.74\00:43:03.21
not focus on ourselves.
00:43:03.61\00:43:06.41
You know what happens
when you focus on yourself?
00:43:06.82\00:43:08.92
You get depressed. OK?
00:43:09.75\00:43:12.92
Because you're
always messin' up!
00:43:13.12\00:43:14.86
OK... but He never messes up.
00:43:15.06\00:43:17.63
And therefore, just
focus on Him because He said
00:43:18.39\00:43:21.43
"I'm your righteousness;
00:43:21.83\00:43:24.43
it is Me and not you. "
00:43:25.63\00:43:28.54
And that's what
it means when it says
00:43:28.74\00:43:31.84
"whosoever believeth in Him. "
00:43:32.04\00:43:33.61
We believe in Him... If we worry
all the time about ourselves,
00:43:34.31\00:43:38.71
it means that we don't think
that what He did was good enough
00:43:39.51\00:43:43.02
to save us.
00:43:43.22\00:43:44.55
And He said: "All you
have to do is come to Me...
00:43:44.82\00:43:49.62
believe in Me, accept Me. "
00:43:49.82\00:43:52.66
Now some people say:
"So if I believe in God
00:43:52.86\00:43:56.16
it just means I can be any
kind of person I want to be? "
00:43:56.36\00:43:58.37
Well, you know what?
I'll give you a good example.
00:43:59.50\00:44:04.64
When you get married
you take wedding vows.
00:44:06.34\00:44:10.78
And often times they're
flowery; they're beautiful,
00:44:11.98\00:44:15.32
wonderful. But do
you have to consult them
00:44:15.52\00:44:20.29
all the time? "Let's
see: what did it say? "
00:44:21.32\00:44:23.79
Not if you love your spouse!
00:44:25.49\00:44:28.00
You don't have to
consult the wedding vows
00:44:28.20\00:44:31.60
because your actions demonstrate
that you love your spouse.
00:44:31.80\00:44:36.40
And when you believe
in Him and accept Him
00:44:38.44\00:44:43.18
the very same thing happens.
00:44:43.38\00:44:45.55
He becomes your center.
00:44:46.85\00:44:49.78
All of your
orientation is toward Him.
00:44:50.09\00:44:54.12
Your orientation is not
toward another human being
00:44:55.52\00:45:01.40
or some human ideology.
00:45:03.37\00:45:05.77
It is only about Him...
and that's the only thing
00:45:07.07\00:45:10.24
that keeps us moving
in the right direction.
00:45:10.44\00:45:14.01
But we all have a
sphere of influence,
00:45:15.58\00:45:17.85
and I want that to be
the "take-away" message.
00:45:18.25\00:45:20.88
You can
influence people around you
00:45:21.88\00:45:27.06
by the way that you live...
00:45:27.56\00:45:29.82
by the way that
you treat other people.
00:45:30.23\00:45:34.00
I always tell the people
around me: "When it comes
00:45:35.10\00:45:37.77
to difficult decisions
just do the right thing. "
00:45:37.97\00:45:41.90
Don't worry about the political
implications of this or that
00:45:42.90\00:45:47.71
or the other, do what is right.
00:45:47.91\00:45:51.58
Amen! And when
you do what is right
00:45:51.78\00:45:54.38
there's an added advantage.
00:45:54.78\00:45:56.95
People may accuse
you of all kinds of stuff
00:45:58.59\00:46:01.16
but they will never find any-
thing 'cause there's nothin'
00:46:02.32\00:46:04.89
to find. Amen! And you
know, that really alleviates
00:46:05.09\00:46:09.00
a lot of tension in your life.
00:46:09.20\00:46:11.33
You know, God gave us command-
ments; He gave us directions.
00:46:12.27\00:46:15.74
Why? Because He loves us!
00:46:15.94\00:46:17.94
He made us... He
knows how we work.
00:46:18.74\00:46:22.14
And, think about it:
if He didn't love us,
00:46:23.14\00:46:26.68
He would just: "Go ahead
and do whatever you want.
00:46:26.88\00:46:29.28
Doesn't matter. "
00:46:29.48\00:46:31.15
He wants us to get
the most out of life.
00:46:31.65\00:46:34.39
He actually wants us to
be happy. Some people think
00:46:34.59\00:46:37.43
He wants us to be
acidic. No... not at all!
00:46:37.63\00:46:40.36
He wants us to be
happy. A person who loves God
00:46:40.86\00:46:44.70
can be happy under
any circumstances. Amen!
00:46:44.90\00:46:48.34
You should be able to tell them
because they treat other people
00:46:48.54\00:46:52.77
right. You'll never
see them "badmouthing"
00:46:52.97\00:46:55.48
other people and
saying horrible things.
00:46:55.68\00:46:57.55
It will never happen.
00:46:57.75\00:46:59.68
That's one of the ways
that you can tell somebody
00:46:59.88\00:47:03.89
who is constrained
by the love of Christ.
00:47:04.09\00:47:07.66
But I just want to end
with this one last story
00:47:09.99\00:47:12.83
that helped me so much.
00:47:13.03\00:47:14.93
That is as a young
attending neurosurgeon
00:47:15.13\00:47:18.33
I had a young man who
came to me from Georgia.
00:47:18.53\00:47:22.34
He was four years old.
00:47:23.20\00:47:25.04
He had been diagnosed with
a malignant brain stem tumor.
00:47:25.24\00:47:28.61
Had seen multiple specialists.
Everybody told the family
00:47:29.01\00:47:31.78
"Just take him home and let
him die. Keep him comfortable. "
00:47:31.98\00:47:34.15
And they ended up at Hopkins.
00:47:35.55\00:47:37.69
When I saw him the first time
he was barely moving, barely
00:47:38.09\00:47:41.19
breathing, eyes
crossed, foaming at the mouth.
00:47:41.39\00:47:44.93
I said: "What am I
supposed to do here? "
00:47:45.13\00:47:46.90
And I looked at the CAT
scan. There was a big, ugly
00:47:48.10\00:47:50.67
brain stem tumor.
00:47:50.87\00:47:52.30
And the parents said: "Doctor,
we were directed here by the
00:47:52.50\00:47:54.80
Lord because we would find
a neurosurgeon - a Christian
00:47:55.00\00:47:58.37
neurosurgeon - who
could help our son.
00:47:58.57\00:48:00.54
And the Lord is
going to heal our son
00:48:00.74\00:48:02.51
and He's going to
use you to do it. "
00:48:02.71\00:48:04.48
And I said:
00:48:06.05\00:48:09.12
"That's nice. "
00:48:09.32\00:48:11.02
I said: "But this is a
malignant brain stem tumor.
00:48:12.75\00:48:15.46
This is an inoperable tumor.
00:48:15.66\00:48:16.99
There's nothing I or
anybody can do about this. "
00:48:17.06\00:48:19.79
And they said: "But doctor,
00:48:20.30\00:48:21.80
the Lord is going
to heal our son. "
00:48:22.20\00:48:26.37
I said: "Look...
MRI's are brand new. "
00:48:27.67\00:48:30.37
I said: "Let's get a MRI.
Maybe it will show something
00:48:30.57\00:48:32.54
the CAT scan doesn't show. "
00:48:32.74\00:48:34.08
Did the MRI. Had all
the radiologists look at it.
00:48:34.14\00:48:36.14
They said: "Malignant brain stem
tumor... nothing you can do. "
00:48:36.34\00:48:39.08
I told the parents.
They said: "But doctor,
00:48:39.81\00:48:43.02
THE LORD... " I said:
"Well, 1 in 1,000 times
00:48:44.09\00:48:48.82
the scans are wrong so
maybe it's something else.
00:48:49.02\00:48:51.26
I'll biopsy it. " I
opened it up; got a piece.
00:48:51.66\00:48:54.73
Sent it to the pathologist and
it came back high grade glioma.
00:48:54.93\00:48:58.07
Very malignant tumor.
00:48:58.27\00:48:59.60
I took out as much as
I dared. Closed him up.
00:48:59.70\00:49:02.04
Went out and spoke to
them and I said: "I'm sorry...
00:49:02.24\00:49:04.11
it looks like
it's what we thought.
00:49:04.31\00:49:05.87
And only the Lord knows how
long a person should be here.
00:49:06.27\00:49:10.71
Maybe he's
already served his purpose
00:49:10.91\00:49:12.51
and we'll understand
it better by and by. "
00:49:12.71\00:49:14.42
All things we
always tell people.
00:49:14.62\00:49:16.42
And they said:
"Thank you, doctor,
00:49:16.82\00:49:18.79
but THE LORD... " And
as I walked away I said:
00:49:19.09\00:49:25.06
"I've never seen people
with this kind of faith. "
00:49:25.26\00:49:27.26
But I expected him to
deteriorate and die...
00:49:28.63\00:49:32.27
but instead he got
better! The next day
00:49:32.67\00:49:35.00
he was no longer
foaming at the mouth
00:49:35.20\00:49:37.47
and his eyes were starting
to look in the same direction.
00:49:37.87\00:49:40.51
And I said: "What? "
00:49:40.91\00:49:42.24
And I said:
"Let's do another MRI. "
00:49:42.44\00:49:44.38
There was still an ugly
tumor but there was a little rim
00:49:44.58\00:49:47.12
of tissue and I said:
"Is it possible that maybe
00:49:47.32\00:49:51.32
this is outside the brain stem
and it's compressing the brain
00:49:51.52\00:49:54.36
stem and maybe I
should go back in? "
00:49:54.56\00:49:56.86
And they said: "By all mean! "
00:49:57.06\00:49:58.39
And I went back in and
the whole nature of the thing
00:49:58.59\00:50:01.23
had changed. And I
pulled it away layer by layer
00:50:01.43\00:50:03.60
under the microscope.
Got to the last layer
00:50:03.80\00:50:05.83
there was a glistening
white brain stem intact.
00:50:06.03\00:50:09.14
Long story short, that
boy walked out of the hospital
00:50:10.47\00:50:13.44
and today is a minister.
00:50:13.64\00:50:15.44
But you know, one of
the oncologists said to me:
00:50:20.52\00:50:24.12
"Ben, I've always been an athe-
ist but I'm a believer now. "
00:50:24.32\00:50:27.06
But it was really for me,
because I thought I was doing
00:50:27.26\00:50:30.79
all this stuff. And
after that I realized
00:50:30.99\00:50:34.50
it wasn't me... it was God.
00:50:34.70\00:50:37.63
And this is what we
must teach our young people.
00:50:38.43\00:50:41.30
Let God be the
One who is in charge.
00:50:42.37\00:50:45.94
Because... I'll
allude to it again...
00:50:46.14\00:50:49.98
Philippians 4:13.
00:50:50.18\00:50:52.08
What does it say? "I
can do ALL things... "
00:50:52.28\00:50:56.22
Or does it say: "I
can do SOME things? "
00:50:56.42\00:50:58.99
All! Does it say: "I
can do MANY things? "
00:50:59.19\00:51:01.66
All! "MOST things? "
00:51:01.86\00:51:03.69
"ALL things" because
we serve a mighty God.
00:51:03.89\00:51:08.56
God bless.
00:51:08.76\00:51:10.10
Days are filled
00:51:30.05\00:51:32.99
with sorrows and cares.
00:51:33.52\00:51:37.69
Hearts are lonely
00:51:38.43\00:51:42.36
and drear;
00:51:42.56\00:51:45.37
But burdens
00:51:46.74\00:51:49.67
are lifted
00:51:49.87\00:51:52.17
at Calvary...
00:51:52.37\00:51:56.51
Jesus is very near.
00:51:57.45\00:52:03.39
Burdens are lifted at
00:52:06.76\00:52:11.49
Calvary,
00:52:11.89\00:52:15.90
Calvary,
00:52:16.56\00:52:21.27
Calvary...
00:52:21.47\00:52:26.11
Burdens are lifted
00:52:26.31\00:52:30.25
at Calvary...
00:52:30.45\00:52:35.22
for Jesus
00:52:35.42\00:52:37.65
is very near.
00:52:37.85\00:52:42.96
Cast your care
00:52:45.46\00:52:49.30
on Jesus today;
00:52:49.70\00:52:54.67
leave your worry
00:52:55.07\00:52:59.07
and fear;
00:52:59.27\00:53:03.11
Burdens are lifted
00:53:03.85\00:53:07.68
at Calvary
00:53:07.88\00:53:12.22
for Jesus is very
00:53:12.42\00:53:18.06
near.
00:53:18.26\00:53:20.86
Burdens are lifted
00:53:22.76\00:53:26.87
at Calvary,
00:53:27.07\00:53:31.57
Calvary,
00:53:32.31\00:53:36.85
Calvary...
00:53:37.15\00:53:41.65
Burdens are lifted
00:53:41.85\00:53:45.95
at Calvary
00:53:46.15\00:53:50.56
for Jesus is very
00:53:50.76\00:53:56.53
near.
00:53:56.73\00:53:59.43
Troubled soul:
00:54:01.70\00:54:05.84
the Savior can feel
00:54:06.04\00:54:11.68
every heartache
00:54:12.08\00:54:16.48
and tear;
00:54:16.69\00:54:20.46
for burdens are lifted
00:54:20.66\00:54:26.13
at Calvary...
00:54:26.33\00:54:31.37
Jesus is very
00:54:32.10\00:54:37.07
near. Join us on
the chorus, together:
00:54:37.27\00:54:41.41
Burdens are lifted
00:54:41.91\00:54:45.91
at Calvary,
00:54:46.11\00:54:51.35
Calvary,
00:54:51.65\00:54:56.12
Calvary...
00:54:56.32\00:55:00.96
Burdens are lifted
00:55:01.16\00:55:05.07
at Calvary...
00:55:05.27\00:55:09.90
Jesus is very
00:55:11.04\00:55:16.95
near.
00:55:17.15\00:55:19.91