Participants: Jerry Page, Kathy Matthews, Janet Page
Series Code: TAH
Program Code: TAH000147
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00:31 Hello, I'm Kathy Mathews and welcome to
00:33 "Thinking About Home". Today we're going to be 00:36 talking about experiencing God's 00:38 power through prayer and our guest today is 00:42 Jerry and Janet Page and Jerry is from the 00:44 Central California Conference, right, 00:46 you're the President there, is that correct. 00:47 That's right and Janet don't you work with 00:49 the Prayer Conferences or Prayer 00:51 in Women's Ministry, yes. 00:53 Yes and I just was thinking about 00:56 before we came on, how I first met the two of you. 01:01 And I remember that we were in the, 01:04 I'm sorry in Nebraska Conference, 01:06 my tongue is wrapping around. 01:07 And we're doing a Community Services Program 01:12 and there were people everywhere and 01:15 I remember that you were the Guest Speaker 01:17 and Janet's flight had lost your suitcase and 01:22 you would come in without your clothing 01:23 and I really felt so sorry for you. 01:25 And I think I remember asking if I could loan 01:28 you something, I remember that, if I could loan 01:30 you some of my clothing but then suitcase came in 01:33 not too far after that and you were 01:36 able to get through the weekend. 01:37 I know that things like that can make you nervous, 01:40 that's right, and I know Jerry that 01:45 the reason that I wanted to invite you 01:47 is that you would had such an upbringing in a 01:50 Christian home, and that story that you told 01:53 was really touching and it was how you gone away 01:57 from the upbringing that you would had 01:59 and you gone rebellious, and I know that 02:02 it touched your parents hearts and I would like 02:05 for you to share with out viewers about how that 02:08 all happened in your life. 02:10 Well, thanks Kathy its good to be with you, 02:11 well and share the opportunity. 02:13 I'm glad you came I know it's not easy sometimes 02:15 you get nervous, that's right and it's not 02:17 always easy but I know there is gonna be 02:19 a lot of people is gonna enjoy your story. 02:21 Praise God, so look back over my life Kathy 02:24 it's been a little bit like an experience 02:25 I had in Colorado one time, 02:27 I went a Ministers meeting, and I was staying 02:29 up at the ranch there with, in a room of 02:31 two beds and there was a man in the other bed. 02:33 Middle of night I had a dream 02:34 it was very real in my mind and I thought 02:36 Janet was in the other bed and I got up and 02:37 begin to sleep walk across the room, 02:39 really, and in the upstanding over poor 02:40 Bob Rice see education guy for the conference 02:43 and I was asleep, he was asleep 02:45 all of a sudden he woke up. 02:46 And he looked up at me and I woke up 02:48 and looked down at him you know 02:49 as one of those moments in life. 02:51 And he is got a good sense of humor 02:52 and he said Jerry I won't tell a soul, and I said 02:55 Bob I'm gonna tell everybody 02:56 if I got a chance. God in his mercy, 02:58 Kathy he has been constantly putting up 03:01 with me and waking me up along the journey 03:03 and I just thank him I thought I was awake 03:05 so often when really I was asleep. 03:07 And you right, I grow up in a, 03:09 a good Christian home, Adventist home. 03:10 My dad was a publishing director and my mom was, 03:12 really, elementary school teacher and I went to 03:16 church Pathfinder Sabbath School all those things 03:18 but somehow along the way 03:20 I just didn't get to know Jesus, right. 03:22 And didn't have assurance of salvation 03:24 and to me it just become a lot of does 03:28 and don'ts church was something that 03:30 I really wanted to get away from. 03:32 I think a lot people don't have that assurance of 03:34 salvations and, and somehow we are not 03:38 getting it across the way we should and 03:41 I remember Luann Tucker was at 03:44 Aurora Colorado once with us and he ask in 03:47 the congregation how many new that they 03:50 would had the assurance of salvation. 03:51 That was a, that was an interesting answer 03:53 that happened I don't want to cut up 03:55 too much of your story here but. 03:58 That, that was something memorable to me 04:00 when I saw how many hands went up. 04:02 Well, I remember is, is being told about the 04:05 sanctuary and our behave because Jesus might come 04:09 to my name at any moment and if I wasn't ready 04:11 I would be lost and so that was kind of the, 04:13 the picture I had and the person talking to me 04:16 really didn't believe they were gonna be saved. 04:18 So, you know I just began to run with the kids 04:21 where we have excitement and fun 04:22 doing another things and I don't need to 04:24 bore you with the lot of details today but 04:26 he went down the track, he kicked out of three 04:28 academy he is involve in, in drugs back in 04:30 the 60's and all that kind of things so. 04:33 I just wanted to get out, I wanted to get out 04:34 from under the church and the rules and all those 04:37 things and I just thank God that he didn't leave me. 04:40 And that my parents, my parents were in perfect, 04:43 our home had these problems but the fact is 04:46 they kept loving me unconditionally, amen. 04:49 And they kept praying for me. And that's really 04:50 the two principles that I think about the most 04:53 as I look back over my own journey as, 04:55 as how that unconditional love is being there for 04:57 me and continually get people to pray for me. 05:00 It brought me back around and that's what 05:02 this is all about is, it really is prayer 05:04 in the family isn't that? Or how the family's prayer 05:07 meant so much and not to stop doing that 05:10 and we won't to get that point across, 05:11 never stop praying for your children. 05:14 That's for sure, my folks could have been 05:16 pretty embarrassed about me and I will be in 05:17 Church workers and all of that but 05:19 instead they got everybody they could. 05:21 My dad been a publisher and they will always 05:22 cooperators praying for me all over the 05:24 central part of this country and I just didn't 05:26 have a chance they prayed miserable basically. 05:28 You know, I had one to get away and, 05:31 what do you mean by that? Prayed you miserable? 05:32 I after first year college they made me go to 05:35 one year ecologist with this they wouldn't 05:37 help me and I thank, thank God my parents 05:39 never said what publish school do you wanna go 05:41 to they said what Adventist school you wanna 05:43 go to next when they kicked out and 05:44 I'm thankful for that but anyway after one year 05:46 at ecologist I came back to Dan Rivers living with 05:48 a bunch of guys had, money was had 05:50 towards the law degree. 05:51 And pretty much I had everything that I thought 05:55 I had wanted freedom and all of that and 05:58 there we are doing drugs we are buying and selling 05:59 drugs at that point. 06:01 But instead of getting happier, I begin to get 06:03 more and more miserable and my relationships 06:05 broke apart, people cheated me on drug deals 06:07 and we were just unhappy and other kids were 06:10 enjoy the drug trips and I've been sitting around 06:13 worried about my health or dying or whatever. 06:16 I'm remember one guys said Jerry just relax so 06:19 what if you die see what the next life is like but. 06:21 Well, it sounds like what your parents taught you 06:23 wasn't really letting you go that it was 06:26 somewhat there could you say that, 06:28 could say that, that training was there. 06:29 The training was there and I believe they claim 06:30 promises like Isaiah chapter 42 06:33 I brought here with me: The Messiah's word: 06:36 As a light to the gentiles, To open the blind eyes, 06:39 to bring out the prisoners from the prison house, 06:41 those who sit in darkness from the prison house. 06:44 It says I will bring the blind by a way they 06:45 did not know; I will lead them in paths 06:47 they have not known. I will make darkness 06:49 light before them, and crooked places straight, 06:51 these things I will do for them 06:53 and not forsake them. Isaiah 42:11 and 16 and. 06:57 Is this what you considered yourself, 06:59 you know I was in prison house, 07:00 I was captive to my own desires and I don't need 07:04 tell the whole story but one Saturday night 07:06 after bad drug trip and my girl and I was sitting 07:08 on her apartment, 07:09 who was different girl at that point. 07:10 And we were just talking about how much we 07:13 hate people, we were so miserable and 07:16 again my parents had claim these promises 07:17 Isaiah 49:25: For I will contend with him 07:20 who contends with you, and I will save my children. 07:23 And in my heart there were something longing 07:25 for more and that night as we said they were 07:27 talking about what would really make us happy. 07:30 I believe the Holy Spirit was there working on us 07:32 and you know the prayers were being answered 07:35 and in our heart we decided there was love. 07:37 We thought about the little lady that brought 07:38 us sucursal, that night, yeah that night 07:40 you talked about you thought it was love. 07:42 We started talking about what it made us happy 07:44 the unconditional love the lady that brought us 07:46 sucursal department, they guy am I folk sit down us, 07:49 to come and study the Bible with us is very nice 07:51 we slam the door on his face but that night 07:54 seen I was said you know we think the love 07:56 would be the answer and I think it because 07:57 those seeds again that we would been 07:59 put in us through the years that God is love. 08:01 And so we gave our hearts to Jesus that night, 08:04 the guy who was an ex-alcoholic 08:06 the Bible workers said we called him in 08:07 middle of the night I don't know what time 08:08 it was we started studies and 08:11 God changed our lives he just. 08:12 So, is this a night that you would consider 08:14 a conversion experience? Really was for me, 08:16 I mean I'm one from buying and selling drugs 08:18 we'd stolen cocaine from one of our hospitals 08:20 and we were selling on the streets and border 08:21 thinking about doing needles that's a close 08:24 became to started to study the Bible began 08:27 to attained the little church in 08:28 Denworth that was on fire with God's love. 08:30 They didn't care what we look like, 08:31 where we came from they're just wrapped 08:33 their arms around us, they loved us and we didn't 08:35 come to the Friday night Bible study they'd call us 08:38 we did come to Saturday night so 08:39 shall they were on the phone to us. 08:40 No train you, they did and just loved us 08:42 and I won't tell you all the rest of the story 08:44 maybe later but we got involved in ministry 08:47 I went to Andrews and we got in the small 08:49 groups and lay evangelistic meetings 08:51 and those kinds of things. 08:52 Jesus just helped me as a young leader kid 08:55 well I think I have the genes in me to lead 08:57 somewhere I never been challenged to 08:59 lead for God then I was and it change my life 09:02 so I praise God for His 09:03 relentless pursuit, you know. 09:04 Oh! It's interesting that you should say that, 09:08 our daughter both of our daughters we were, 09:11 we were enjoying some bonding 09:13 time here just last fall. No, it's before that 09:15 it was earlier and we were talking about 09:21 the love of the Lord and I said 09:23 there should be a production, there should be 09:25 a movie called Relentless Pursuit amen. 09:28 Now, how would do make it and we sat there 09:29 and we dreamed about how we would do all of these. 09:32 And that's what I hear you're saying is that he 09:34 Psalms 139 never let you go, wherever we go 09:37 he is there, unfailing love, that's right amen. 09:39 Praise him and so that night when you were 09:43 sitting there and you recognize the love of 09:46 the people that was what brought you, you think. 09:49 Really was I mean we were just so miserable, 09:50 we were looking for happiness, we've been 09:52 trying everything else and for us we came back 09:55 to the seeds of our youth you know they've been 09:57 putting those seeds in and again. Amen. 09:59 I believe God used them. Now, Janet I wanna give 10:01 you little chance here now or actually with maybe 10:04 a lot of a chance to give a little testimony 10:06 about your spiritual journey, 10:08 can you start in where he left out. 10:10 Yeah, one thing I just like to say is like after 10:13 we were married, it's always hard for me to 10:16 say this, because it just so touch my heart 10:19 but for year so after we were married 10:20 everywhere I go because we were active in ministry. 10:24 Somebody would come up to me and say 10:25 I prayed for Jerry, I prayed for Jerry, oh amen, 10:27 all of this country, that's right 10:28 I know this is encouraging. 10:29 I had a young adult women tell me that she was in 10:34 his dad's car she was, he was trainer at the 10:37 literature of evangelist and the car was 10:38 full of young people. And all of the sudden 10:41 his dad pulls outside of the road and he says 10:43 we've just got a stop right now he says 10:45 I don't what's going on but we need to pray 10:46 for my boy Jerry, amen, amen. 10:49 And just that I think that openness to admit hey 10:52 my kids got a problem you pray for my kid, 10:55 it makes a different. Amen, and may be just 10:57 encourage parents whose kids haven't 10:59 come back yet, right. Why don't you just 11:01 look at that camera and encourage to those parents. 11:03 Well, it's not too late, never give up, even if you 11:05 messed up when your kids growing up and 11:08 everything and you know you haven't trained him, 11:09 whether should have you can Intercede now 11:11 get 2 or 3 around you and pray and God will 11:13 answer those prayers and he will send 11:14 an angle to answer every prayer. 11:16 We know a guy in our conference who, 11:18 his mother prayed for him for 40 years he just came 11:20 back to Lord right after she died about 2 years ago. 11:22 Now, he is on fired gone over the world and work 11:24 for Jesus, amen. So, never give up we don't know 11:26 God always there, oh that's a good message. 11:28 Actually it's not just one guy we know many, 11:30 that's right, that's right as we've traveled 11:32 through out this country doing prayer 11:33 weekends, right. So, many come up and say 11:35 will you please tell parents don't give up, 11:37 don't give up because there are like in 11:38 their 40's, one guy who was in a 70's 11:41 when he came back, that's right. 11:42 And, and though we don't wanted to be 11:44 that long when our kids do, no. 11:46 We are grateful you know, that they do, 11:48 that they haven't forgotten all together. 11:50 Well, you have a quiet a bit of testimony for 11:53 yourself on your spiritual journey you won't like 11:55 Jerry, were you? You won't like going 11:58 rebellious in the same sense or. 12:01 Not totally yeah I had my ups and downs, 12:03 how did it work for you? I had my ups and downs 12:05 I think a lot of kids do growing up an Adventist. 12:08 But I had learned like when I was 17 about how 12:10 important it was to spend time with God 12:12 and that was just the new concept with me. 12:14 I know I need to go to Church and maybe 12:16 starting my Sabbath school lesson but 12:17 actually spend time with them and so I 12:19 started to tried to do that. 12:21 As I got into college you know life got busy and 12:24 I always thought well once you get out of college. 12:26 You work a fulltime job, you will have lots of time 12:28 to spend knowing God and I didn't realize how 12:31 busy it was even though you did an 12:32 8 hour day job, right. And then I had a baby 12:36 and I thought well you know I'm gonna 12:37 stay home with this baby I was choosing 12:38 to do that and I thought well I will 12:40 stay home with the baby I will have 12:41 so much time to get to know God, yes. 12:43 My mother failed to tell me it was a 24 hour 12:45 day job to take care of your baby, yeah plus 12:47 people in the church find out if you're not 12:49 working you just taking care of a baby. 12:50 Oh! Yeah just taking care of a baby, I, that is 12:52 mom your project for you do, yeah, okay, 12:53 and several of them, yeah many. 12:55 And it was Lord I can't spend time with you today 12:59 I've got to help with this vacation Bible school, 13:01 right and I can't spend time with you today 13:03 I've gonna help with this cooking school. 13:04 And Lord Mitchell wants to have Bible studies 13:07 I don't have time for you today will you bless me, 13:09 I'm doing your work God. And before I realize it 13:11 I'm in my 30's and I'm realizing I don't really 13:14 know him and I decided I've got to start 13:18 doing it now it's never gonna happened because 13:20 always putting it off. So, I started trying to 13:22 spend time with him everyday and as I do that 13:25 we learned one thing that really makes a differences 13:28 getting into time of prays and just focusing on God 13:31 to begin with but then going into a time of 13:33 confession it was during that time, 13:35 alone or together or both. 13:37 Alone, alone and speaking out loud in prayers, 13:41 praising the Lord out loud to yourself, with yourself. 13:43 Sometimes out loud, sometimes I general it 13:45 I see, sometimes it just in my mind but just to 13:48 spend sometime taking the Psalms and using that 13:51 to praise God for three years, but rather then 13:53 just pouring out your difficulties 13:54 and your trails and your problems. 13:56 Taking the time to praise him first, yeah 13:58 we've just find that really prepares the way, 14:01 but at going to time of like confession and I 14:03 started thinking all the things I need to confess. 14:05 But there was just one particular thought 14:07 that would come to mind and I would shutter off 14:10 to the side say that's not sin you know that, 14:11 that maybe a problem but that's not sin 14:13 I have an over guilty conscious. 14:15 And I didn't realize how that effected me 14:19 because my the Bible become dry to me and 14:23 just like my prayers didn't go high in the 14:24 ceiling to push it away. 14:26 Yeah, I didn't realize the effect that was having 14:28 and I just I got into this, this depression, 14:30 this is cycle of depression. 14:32 And in that thought any time I try to spend time 14:36 with God or even sometimes sitting in the meetings, 14:38 church meetings this thought would come 14:40 you need to take care of the sin problem and I 14:42 just would shove to decide and finally I said 14:44 okay it is sin but is too difficult 14:46 I can't deal with it. Then anything 14:47 Jesus could if He were it just too hard. 14:50 And so shut it off well you know how the church 14:56 the Pastor said get up sometimes and tell you 14:58 we need to out witnessing, we need to be out 14:59 sharing the hope the joy, the power, 15:01 the joy we have in Jesus Christ. 15:03 And I was sitting, you were sitting there 15:05 what joy you know what hope, what power. 15:07 We love the lay the guilt time you know, 15:08 well I don't mean of that way, but what do I have 15:12 in my neighbors gonna want, my God. 15:14 And I begin to think why there is about me 15:16 that my kids are gonna want my God and I 15:18 realize there was nothing I was pretty prophetic. 15:21 As I just privately, quietly gave up at this 15:25 time now this was all happening we were 15:28 had move to a new conference and Jerry was 15:30 like a pastor to the pastors and they want. 15:33 And he, he found among them there was a real need 15:36 for a spiritual retreat for the pastors wives. 15:39 So, I, I didn't do anything way, 15:43 did you jump into women's ministry at that time or. 15:45 Oh! I got push into it, my hymn to get 15:48 into it and the way it, it happen was Jerry 15:52 gets is go sure of a women's between he says 15:55 this would be wonderful don't you wanna do this? 15:56 And I said no, I don't do that kind of thing I can't 15:59 and he tells me won't you at least pray about it. 16:01 It was these when you were struggling 16:02 at the time, yeah. 16:03 But he didn't know, nobody knew I was struggling 16:06 anyway he told me to pray about and I said 16:08 well okay I will pray about what I should do 16:10 this women to treat because I was sure God 16:11 would tell me know even I could tell him Jerry 16:14 the Lord said no I shouldn't do this. 16:16 But then you would have your answer, 16:18 that's for sure he couldn't cause her 16:19 to do it after that, that's right. 16:20 He came home couple of days later and tells 16:22 me he's been voted that however those 16:24 things that in the conference office that 16:25 I'm to do this women's to treat as I'm going Jerry 16:28 I can do this but in the process of that happening, 16:31 it got me to get back in to spending time with 16:33 God again because I was, I was so scared 16:37 and afraid this thing would be a failure. 16:40 And so, I started I can imagine, I started to 16:42 trying to spend time with him and what 16:44 happen to me there was incredible because 16:46 I found this verse in Testimonies Volume six 16:50 page 393 where it says: 16:51 The Bible is God's voice speaking to us, 16:54 just as surely as though we could 16:56 hear it with our ears. If we realize this, 16:58 with what awe would we open God's Word 17:00 and with what earnestness 17:01 would we search its precepts? 17:03 The reading and contemplation of the 17:05 scriptures would be regarded as an 17:07 audience with the Infinite One. 17:09 That just really open my eyes to the fact that 17:11 God's word speaks to me now what I need right 17:14 this moment not just theology, 17:16 not just doctrine, not just history but what I need. 17:19 That's why I started taking that before 17:20 God's saying Lord it says your voice, 17:22 this is your voice, so will speak to me 17:24 what I need right now, please show me 17:25 what I'm to do with this woman's rectrices 17:27 I'd never been do wanna had no idea what to do. 17:30 And God did, he started making come alive for me, 17:33 started speaking to me and you know I've been 17:36 raised in Adventist I'm a daughter of minister 17:38 and I'm married a minister and yet most of my life 17:41 I didn't have the assurance of salvation 17:42 even though people tell me believe what it says 17:44 Romans that Christ died for you I couldn't, right. 17:47 But after spending several weeks of spending time 17:49 everyday regarding His word and He just coming 17:52 before me saying Lord speak to me. 17:54 It's literally He would wrap me in His love 17:56 and it became so real and I, I came to have that 18:00 assurance that I knew He did love me, right. 18:02 He did die for me, amen and made such a 18:04 difference and it became very personal yeah. 18:06 But He kept working on me about this sin 18:08 problem and, and I won't go into exactly how 18:12 that all happen right now because we are out 18:13 getting short of time but it was the 18:16 bitterness I had toward someone. 18:18 And one morning in a worship time that 18:21 time it become so precious with God I'm not an 18:23 early riser but I found if you really 18:25 want quality time for God. 18:26 You need let him awake you up and get up early 18:28 and he will yeah and he will speak to you won't he? 18:31 But this one morning he wasn't 18:32 it was like he wasn't there. 18:34 And I said God where are you it just, it doesn't 18:36 seem the same and it just a quiet thought in my 18:39 mind it was Janet go call us person now. 18:42 And I said now wait a minute God they, 18:45 they've done this and this in this to me why 18:46 you don't you get him to call me. 18:48 Okay, Mosses you're making complains here, 18:50 yeah but he wanna me to, to call them and I, 18:52 that experience with Him and it become so precious. 18:55 I did not wanna loss it, so did you get up and you 18:58 will make the call, yeah he gave me the 18:59 motivation but I went to pay phone because 19:00 I want Jerry to hear that's right, 19:01 because that would be embarrassing, 19:03 that's right and it just an incredible to me 19:05 how God just took over as I said Lord help me 19:07 to do this and he showed me what I needed to 19:11 ask forgiveness for and just a put a love 19:14 in my heart for this person. 19:15 He just took away all the bitterness and hatred. 19:18 You rose above the problem, I can see that 19:21 you have to and the Lord 19:23 showed you how to do that. 19:25 He does and the exciting part was the next night, 19:29 no that night Jerry we would place at meetings 19:32 where they having a prayer conference 19:33 and Jerry didn't wanna go. 19:34 And I didn't know what was going on 19:36 with him and I knew some was bothering him 19:38 and I decided well he didn't wanna go 19:39 I'd rather stay with him. 19:41 And that night Lord just really moved on 19:44 me share what happen in that morning on the phone, 19:47 because that was so dramatic. 19:49 Where were this, wait a minute, let me tell, 19:50 let me tell what happened, okay go ahead. 19:51 Okay, I had the day before and this is a principle 19:54 I think about families are growing in the Lord, 19:56 yes Kathy is when one person really is growing 19:59 rapidly in the Lord other are also resistance 20:02 it seems to spring up another 20:03 people in that family I've noticed. 20:05 And you know I am preacher, I was a leader 20:07 and I am man and here Janet was getting up 20:08 much earlier than me now in the morning. Oh! really, 20:10 praying and having her wonderful walk with God. 20:12 And I was being feel little jealous I think and 20:15 proud and I have found myself weird apart, 20:18 I couldn't enter in very well, and I was feeling 20:20 valves come up and needed to tell me 20:22 how to be spiritual and all that kind of thing 20:24 and I thought myself praying 20:25 my mind when afternoon, 20:26 Lord if she is so spiritual, 20:27 how come she can get long so and so. 20:30 And it was in the next morning the God made her 20:31 go to the phone and get right with this person. 20:33 Is that right? Now when she came back and 20:35 told me that, talking about the Lord timing, 20:37 that amount of valves of resistance, so. 20:38 Now, God can take care of those valves 20:39 we need to expect them and really go close 20:42 to him so that valves can come down. 20:44 I never knew he felt that way or he said 20:47 that kind of prayer. I was thought my side 20:49 oh, so it was quite a shock it me when I 20:51 sent that, and. At least you are open enough 20:54 to be able to speak each other 20:55 about it that's a plus. What he did though 20:58 was he really gave me the courage then to do 21:00 what God have been after me to do for few 21:02 years and that was, that's Jerry's forgiveness 21:04 for a number of things and I told to God 21:06 I can do that if I do that the next time we are on 21:09 argument, Jerry would be hold it over my head 21:10 but you know the scripture like Luke 14:11 says, 21:14 "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, 21:15 and he who humbles himself will be exalted. 21:18 I never bought into those scriptures. 21:20 I always shut them over here and I said, 21:21 I don't defend myself who is going to 21:23 you know forget him. 21:25 And we get that night because of the miracle 21:28 I saw God that morning in my life. 21:30 It gave me the courage to then asked Jerry's 21:33 forgiveness for number of things. 21:35 And do you know what I did? All I did, 21:37 was it may Jerry and I go closure together, 21:39 Amen, and it did just exactly what Luke 14 says. 21:43 I was exalted when I humbled myself 21:44 I was exalted and Jerry is closure, 21:46 Amen, but the beautiful part two 21:48 for me was with my kids. 21:51 I had no idea, when we think we don't like 21:54 somebody or we just don't agree with them 21:55 and we can't shutter to the side. 21:57 We don't think it affects our life. But it does. 21:59 It does, we stared reacting and acting 22:02 like they did and we don't realize it. Yes. 22:04 My kids saw such a change in me, my older son 22:08 he was a young teenager then he came up to me 22:10 and he said, mommy I want to know Jesus like you 22:12 do now you have changed so much, really, 22:14 he said, will you teach me how. 22:16 And even my little guy, how old was he? 22:18 He was about 23 now, it was about 10 years ago. 22:22 So he was about 13. Okay. And we can do that at 13. 22:26 Even my little guy, my little one 4, 5 years old 22:28 came out and said, I want to learn how to know 22:30 Jesus like you do too mummy. Oh, wow! 22:32 And what I learnt too though was which you 22:35 may not have this problem especially beyond 22:37 this time kind of talk show is but I would 22:39 sometimes upset with my kids and I thought. 22:42 Yeah, they doesn't do that, I thought well 22:45 what they did is wrong and they deserve that 22:48 whatever, yes, but that's not right, it's not right. 22:51 I have no business ever involve in my kids or 22:53 being impatient them. But I am human 22:55 I do what I learn through this that happen was 22:59 to go my kids and say will you please forgive me. 23:01 Jesus does not know why you treated like that. 23:03 And in doing that you show them how to ask 23:05 forgiveness and how to relate to others, 23:08 because you are an example in doing that very thing. 23:11 That's right. Yeah, the beautiful part to me 23:14 is one, I have one that is 23 one is 16, 23:17 and we were so close. Amen. 23:18 We have already been so closed it never had 23:21 that distance some people go through 23:24 and I really feel like it has to do be willing 23:27 to humble myself, absolutely and it may not 23:29 made mistakes and ask for forgiveness. 23:31 And that does not mean that you still don't have 23:33 times probably that where you have 23:34 disagreements but you have that bonded 23:36 closeness that it seems that so many people 23:39 have lost or never had, Jerry? 23:41 No Kathy that women were treated to that 23:43 I pushed during the viewing that God 23:44 used to revive her so many miracles happen there. 23:47 People were actually physically healed 23:49 and the story goes on then 10 years later 23:52 as our pre-ministry God has opened up 23:53 pre-ministry and where she was so shy, 23:55 she couldn't even speak now she is on 3ABN 23:57 talking and all these kinds of stuff, so God 24:00 has just done so many things to open up our 24:03 lives through this time with Him, and I guess 24:06 maybe it just enclose I would like to just appeal 24:09 to focus a little bit because, 24:10 you go ahead and do that, what I've just got 24:11 in my own life is that we can talk about prayer 24:13 but it's hard to take the time and really do it, 24:16 but if you don't do it we are not connected. 24:18 When I become myself and I am not filled 24:20 with Jesus everyday it's an ugly thing, right. 24:22 You know so I found we have to make choices 24:25 if we really want to know God 24:27 and one of those choices, it reminds me 24:29 Daniel and David little bit, you know Daniel's 24:31 like a last day type of what we are to be 24:34 and in chapter 1 verse 8 he said, in purpose in 24:38 his heart that define himself with the 24:40 things at the king's table and so I think 24:42 we have to make choices about health 24:44 and exercise and sleep and diet and all that if 24:46 we want to have mind that communicate with God. 24:48 And purposing in your heart is no small thing. 24:50 It is. And those are serious want. 24:52 It's a choice that we have to make then in 24:54 chapter 6, why did Daniel go to the lion's den? 24:58 Because of the Ten Commandments, 24:59 right, I am sorry, was it over one of the 25:00 Ten Commandments, because of his prayer, 25:02 because of his prayer life, wasn't he? 25:03 He had said, in Daniel 6 as a specific time 25:06 in a specific place 3 times a day he meet God. 25:09 He was willing to go to his, to the lion's den 25:11 over that, so I know I need a specific time 25:14 and place that I will not let this world suck me 25:16 out of all the time but there is a third choice 25:19 that I think it's really important for families 25:21 today and I know in our family 25:23 when I married Janet, she said, I promise 25:24 I want at US that you want have a TV in our home. 25:28 That's been a wonderful blessing to us and I don't 25:30 tell everybody to got live that way but for me 25:32 I think it's really important that I don't 25:34 have that temptation sitting to closely. 25:37 It reminds me the scripture David said after 25:40 you know later on in his life after the falls 25:43 he had in Psalms 101:2 and 3, he said, 25:46 I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 25:49 I will set an wicked thing before my eyes; 25:51 I hate the work of them that turn aside; 25:54 and the another statement in the Spirit Prophecy 25:56 that really as powerful and I think today 25:58 we just in Christian community we need to think 26:01 about it, TV is not evil in itself, 26:03 3ABN is on TV, right. 26:05 There are many good things but this statement 26:07 from fourth volume Testimonies page 653, 26:10 it says, there is no influence in our land 26:13 more powerful to poison imagination, 26:15 to destroy religious impressions, and to 26:17 blunt the relish for the tranquil pleasures 26:19 and sober realities of life, 26:21 than theatrical amusements. Yes. 26:23 The Love of these sins increases with every 26:26 indulgence as the desire for 26:27 intoxicating drinks strengthens with it's use. 26:30 The only safe course is to shun the theater 26:32 and every other questionable amusement. 26:34 I just believe with all my heart that Jesus said, 26:36 better to going to the heaven without your 26:38 eye balls then into hell with both of them 26:40 for me I think I need to make decision not 26:43 to watch things that are immoral, 26:45 absolutely it could leads to death and all of that, 26:47 and so whatever it takes I think we need to make 26:49 these decision otherwise we don't 26:51 want to spend time with God. 26:52 We are running away from Him. 26:53 We drives at away doesn't it? He is always there. 26:55 He is the relentless pursuit but in the end 26:58 we have to be going to say God is gonna take 26:59 time with you, and we will spend time. 27:01 Amen. So we praise him for that. 27:02 And here our time is already gone 27:05 and you are going to be back though for another 27:06 couple of programs and we will continue 27:09 more about your spiritual journey and 27:13 I think it will be a blessing to the viewers 27:15 don't I know that you have been around a lot 27:17 who have told you that has encouraged them 27:19 and I will think that it will encourage you 27:21 but we are going to go out with prayer now 27:23 and I am going to ask Jerry 27:25 to pray for you and your families. 27:29 Our wonderful Lord we are so thankful today 27:31 you are the relentless pursuit, your everlasting 27:33 love is constantly drawing us love and kindness 27:35 and Lord I just want to lift up each family 27:38 grandchild child today we ask you to send an 27:41 angel each one to open eyes to set the 27:43 captives free from the things that may bind 27:45 them today we just asking that you would 27:48 work in our lives we know you can't force 27:50 them to be say but Lord you can open their eyes, 27:52 you can do everything possible that 27:54 draw them to a positive decision. 27:55 We are asking for that for our families today. 27:58 We thank you that you want to 27:59 do that more than even we do. 28:01 We just praise you so much today and 28:03 Lord we are asking that we will be the 28:04 kind of parents and the kinds of grandparents. |
Revised 2014-12-17