Participants: John Dinzey (Host), Carlos Cruz
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY014096A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:07 Hello, and welcome to another program from 3ABN today. 01:11 We're happy that we've this moment 01:14 to share with you and it is my pleasure 01:16 to be with you during this hour. 01:18 My name is John Dinzey and I've-- 01:20 we've a special guest that is with us. 01:22 We're talking with Pastor Carlos Cruz. 01:26 Welcome. Thank you, John. 01:28 We're happy that you're here 01:30 and grateful that you're able to take some Spanish programs, 01:34 hopefully some programs in English in the future. 01:37 But where are you currently at this moment? 01:40 Right now I'm at Andrews University 01:42 that's Berrien Springs, Michigan. 01:45 Very good. Very good. 01:46 Well, we're going to get to know 01:48 Pastor Cruz during this hour. 01:50 And we would like to ask you to at this moment 01:53 to join us in prayer and again 01:55 as some of you remember Pastor Ricardo, 01:58 he's to like to say, 01:59 we've one of the largest prayer chains in the world. 02:02 And we have prayer partners practically all over the world. 02:06 And we praise the Lord for our prayer partners. 02:08 So if you have a prayer request 02:09 we encourage you to call 3ABN 02:12 or email your prayer request because we have many people 02:16 that are willing to pray for you. 02:17 And this is a ministry of faith 02:19 and we're grateful to the Lord for His blessings 02:22 and Pastor Cruz is amazing 02:24 how the people call and tell us sometimes how the Lord blessed 02:29 and answer the prayer that was being sent. 02:32 So we praise the Lord that He still performs miracles. 02:35 And if the Lord has blessed you with a miracle 02:38 we would like to hear about it 02:40 and we praise the Lord for what He's done. 02:42 If 3ABN has been a blessing to you write to us 02:46 and share what the Lord has done in your life. 02:48 At this moment we like to go to the Lord in prayer 02:51 and we'd like to invite you to be a part of it. 02:53 And so please take a moment and pray with us. 02:56 Let's pray together. 02:59 Our precious Heavenly Father, 03:02 we want to thank You for Your goodness and mercy. 03:06 We thank You Lord, that we can trust in You 03:09 and that you our present help in time of trouble. 03:14 We thank you Father, 03:15 that there is no limit to the amount of times 03:18 we can come before Your throne of grace. 03:20 That there is time when the offices are closed 03:24 or the lines are too busy, 03:26 at any time we can approach Your throne of grace 03:29 and know that You will be there, 03:32 that You will listen to our needs, 03:33 You will listen to our request. 03:35 And we bring to You this request and the petitions, 03:39 that have come into 3ABN during this day. 03:42 We pray that You will consider each one 03:44 and we ask you Father, that in moment that it is best. 03:48 You will bring a blessing to Your children. 03:50 And we thank You, for 3ABN that 03:52 You have raised up to proclaim a message to the world. 03:56 We ask You to be with us 03:57 during this hour in Jesus name, amen. 04:00 Amen. Amen. 04:01 Well, we praise the Lord for the Holy Scriptures 04:05 and really practically anywhere you read 04:08 you will find a blessing. 04:09 At this time we like to share a scripture 04:11 from the Book of Deuteronomy 04:14 and that book we're going to go to chapter 5 04:18 and Pastor Cruz has a verse here 04:21 that has impacted his life. 04:23 So it's verse 29. 04:25 So I'll read it to your reading and it says thus. 04:28 "O that there were such an heart in them, 04:33 that they would fear me, 04:35 and keep all my commandments always, 04:39 that it might be well with them, 04:41 and with their children for ever!" 04:44 Praise the Lord. 04:46 And so we see here God's desire that we would be-- 04:51 we'll have such a heart, such a way of living 04:56 that we want to with joy keep His commandments, you know. 04:58 I wonder if you have some thoughts 05:00 that you would like to share with us. 05:01 Yeah, what impacted me from this verse is that, 05:05 God's intention for us its obedience 05:08 but it's not obedience for His own sake, 05:09 it's obedience for our own sake. 05:11 Obedience to us, it's a blessing 05:13 and that's the way God sees it. 05:16 And the fact that we find this verse 05:19 basically in the core of the Old Testament 05:22 in the Pentateuch. 05:24 It's to me a important fact to understand 05:28 what God is actually trying to do throughout history. 05:32 Amen. Amen. 05:34 Apparently we see in this scripture 05:37 also that obedience brings blessings 05:42 through the Lord to us. 05:44 Because it says, that it might be well with them 05:46 and with their children it says. 05:49 It is as an expression that God wants to bless us 05:55 but sometimes we limit the Lord by this obedience. 06:02 And so it's a longing all that they were such a heart in them. 06:06 And so I know we can talk more about this. 06:08 You probably have presented the sermons on this. 06:12 But today we're going to dedicate time 06:15 to know Pastor Cruz 06:16 and how the Lord has ministered his life. 06:18 And I believe you will be blessed. 06:20 So I encourage you to stay by with us during this hour. 06:22 At this moment we will like to share a song with you, 06:26 a musical offering I like to call them. 06:28 And we have Sandra Entermann with us 06:32 and on the piano we have Sanja Kitevski. 06:36 And we'll hear an offering from the-- 06:39 musical offering entitled "One More Song." 07:00 As long as there is time 07:04 And one breath left in me 07:07 There will always be one more song for You 07:15 And as long as there is room 07:20 For one more voice in praise 07:24 And a need 07:26 For a word of love and truth 07:30 To help my brother through 07:34 There'll be one more song for You 07:45 You were there with your songs of laughter 07:49 Words of hope for my fears 07:53 But what are songs when no one else will sing them 07:57 What are words when no one hears 08:02 Every day was filled with questions 08:06 And when I asked, no one knew 08:09 Till I found the answer in You 08:17 And as long as there is time 08:22 And one breath left in me 08:26 There will always be one more song for You 08:34 And as long as there is room 08:38 For one more voice in praise 08:42 And a need 08:44 For a word of love and truth 08:48 To help my brother through 08:52 There'll be one more song for You 09:03 Love in the air around me 09:07 Hope abounds everywhere 09:11 Living life in the arms of Jesus 09:15 Learning how to really care 09:19 Every day is filled with purpose 09:23 All the old is made new 09:27 And I know I owe it all to You 09:35 And as long as there is time 09:40 And one breath left in me 09:43 There will always be one more song for You 09:51 And as long as there is room 09:56 For one more voice in praise 10:00 And a need 10:02 For a word of love and truth 10:06 To help my brother through 10:10 There'll be one more song for You 10:33 Amen, amen. Praise the Lord. 10:35 We want to thank Sandra Entermann 10:37 and of course Sanja Kitevski. 10:39 I hope I'm pronouncing that right 10:40 that was on the piano. 10:42 "One More Song" 10:43 a beautiful, inspirational message we have 10:47 and we want to thank you. 10:48 Actually she came all the way 10:49 from Australia to record that music. 10:52 Oh, that's very impressive. 10:53 Sandra did. 10:54 Well, we would like to get to know Pastor Cruz better. 10:57 Your name is Pastor Carlos Cruz 10:59 and this is a Spanish name. 11:01 So we want find out where you are from. 11:04 I was born in the Caribbean, 11:07 in an island called Dominican Republic. 11:08 Praise the Lord. 11:10 I was also born in the Caribbean 11:12 actually in Dominican Republic. 11:15 So welcome to 3ABN. 11:17 This is, I think your second time here. 11:19 And we would like to get to know you better. 11:22 Sure. 11:23 Our English viewers would like to may see you in future. 11:26 So they like to put a little more history to the person. 11:30 Tell us about-- 11:31 if you were raised in a Christian home 11:34 and how you came to know the Lord Jesus Christ? 11:38 Well, I was born and raised in a home 11:41 that had some religious background 11:44 but not necessarily in a Christian home. 11:48 My father was not present at an early age of mine, 11:54 so basically I grew up with my mom 11:57 back in Dominican Republic. 11:58 And she used to attend certain Christian church 12:03 form time to time. 12:04 So I can say that I actually was born 12:08 within a Christian background. 12:11 Okay, so there was some Christian background to you 12:14 and as you grew up eventually 12:16 there must have been a moment in time 12:18 when you decided to look a little more into this. 12:22 How was it that the Lord reached you? 12:25 Was it at Church? 12:27 On your own that you're reading 12:29 or you were visiting church? 12:32 I've always been a very curious person about religion. 12:36 There's something about the knowledge of God 12:38 that catch my attentions-- my attention immediately. 12:43 And what happened was that, 12:44 one of my neighbors actually moved close to my home 12:48 and that person invited all the kids 12:50 around that sector was about 17 kids. 12:54 I was the... 12:57 let's say was the younger from all of them. 13:02 And they started to give us Bible studies 13:04 and that's basically my first contact 13:06 with the Bible truth. 13:08 Excellent. 13:09 And so what age do you remember this was? 13:12 That was about when I was 10-years-old. 13:16 Ten years old? 13:17 Okay, so now you hear more about the Lord 13:21 and you became interested or was it, 13:24 well, that is fun to be with the friends 13:26 or you had a real interest? 13:28 I had a real interest 13:30 and I was the first among the group 13:32 that actually decided to get baptized. 13:35 It actually-- the truth that 13:37 I was learning was so impacting, 13:39 so amazing that I decided that I had, 13:42 I had to take the decision 13:44 and come into this new world that I was discovering. 13:48 And so how did your decision impact your family, 13:52 was it your mother, any brothers and sisters? 13:57 I grew up with a sister. 13:59 By the time I took the decision to get baptized 14:01 was about when I was 11-years-old. 14:04 The truth is that I didn't cause 14:07 a great impact in my family 14:09 because I was actually getting to know 14:13 what Christianity was all about. 14:15 Unfortunately I had to travel 14:17 to different places in the world 14:19 and by the age of 12 I decided 14:22 that I didn't want anything. 14:26 I didn't want any part of Christianity at all 14:30 since that point on. 14:31 So one year later, 14:34 the way your world was developing 14:37 you lost interest for some reason. 14:39 That's true. 14:40 I did find the truth of the Bible interesting 14:45 but I didn't want to live the Christian life anymore. 14:49 Okay, would you say that 14:51 when you were baptized you had your Bible? 14:54 You studied the Bible for a while, 14:55 went to church for a while 14:57 but you said some traveling came in 15:00 that disconnected you from the group 15:02 that you were normally being a part of. 15:06 That's exactly what happened. 15:07 The persons that were actually given us Bible studies 15:11 they had to move out of their house 15:14 and they moved to another place 15:15 and the whole group was actually disconnected 15:18 from constant communion with the Bible 15:21 and with the church. 15:22 So at the end of the day basically all of us 15:26 decided to leave the church 15:28 and only one of us remained in the church 15:31 and he's still there, 15:32 thank God for that, it wasn't me. 15:34 Now 12-years-old you decided to depart from the Lord. 15:37 Now from 11 to 12 your sister, 15:41 was she younger than you or older than you? 15:42 No, she's older, eight years older than me. 15:44 Eight years older. 15:45 So when you made your decision to become a Christian, 15:49 did she become interested? 15:51 Did she visit the church with you, 15:53 the group with you at all? 15:54 Not at the moment. She had her own life. 15:56 Yes, she had her own life. 15:58 And my mom was actually worried about me. 16:02 At the beginning she didn't want me to get baptized. 16:06 She said that I was too young 16:08 and that eventually I leave the church, 16:12 that was her concern. 16:14 And interesting enough, 16:15 in some sense that's exactly what happened. 16:18 The interesting part for me is that if I had this-- 16:23 have I decided to take another decision back there, 16:26 I'll actually not being in the church right now. 16:31 In some sense-- During 11-years-old? 16:33 Eleven, twelve? Yeah. 16:34 You would not have decided, looking back? 16:36 Yeah. If I-- no, no, no. 16:38 If I have decided differently back than I'll not be here 16:42 because the reason I'm here right now, 16:44 it's because somehow that experience 16:46 that I had with Christ back then it stood with me. 16:49 Okay, made an impact on your life. 16:50 It did. 16:51 So that was a reference point for you. 16:53 Yes, it was. Okay. 16:54 So then somewhere after 12-years-old, 16:58 of course when you walked away from the Lord, 17:00 the Lord did not walk away from you. 17:01 That is true. 17:02 So He kept-- He continued trying to reach you somehow. 17:06 Do you have probably some memories 17:09 that help us to see that? 17:11 I do. 17:13 He used a very particular method, 17:16 that when He tried to reconnect with me 17:19 was actually through dreams. 17:21 He started giving me the same dream 17:24 over and over and over and over again. 17:27 The same dream? 17:28 Almost everyday for two and half years. 17:30 Now-- would you classify this dream as a nightmare 17:35 that you were afraid or it was something nice? 17:37 It was-- it wasn't a nightmare. 17:43 It was a factual dream. 17:44 Basically what I saw was a mountain 17:47 that was been shaken by a hurricane. 17:50 The setting was a storm 17:53 but somehow a light came from sky 17:56 and illuminated the whole panorama 17:58 and a voice told me, 17:59 what happens if Christ comes today? 18:02 Wow. 18:03 And the voice answered me, 18:05 the voice answered me and said, 18:06 you're gonna get lost. 18:08 Wow. 18:09 It didn't get me afraid. 18:12 It get me to think about my life. 18:15 I was concerned about the decision that I was making, 18:19 that I was making constantly back then, 18:21 that's exactly what happened with me with those dreams. 18:24 Wow, so you had this dream more than once. 18:27 You said many times. Yeah, yeah. 18:29 Probably several times a week and for two and half years. 18:33 Wow. That's impressive. 18:35 The interesting thing about it is that sometimes 18:37 I used to forget it. 18:39 I remember myself remembering the dream 18:41 when I was like two or three minutes 18:44 right after I wake up and then like five minutes 18:47 after that the dream was absolutely gone, 18:50 completely gone. 18:51 And sometimes I could not dream it for one or two days 18:54 and then the dream just comes back. 18:56 So I specialized myself in the art of forgetting 19:01 about this dream, let's say. 19:03 Okay. 19:04 So then, at what point do we see-- 19:08 can you tell us in your life that 19:10 God made another approach to you and how was that? 19:13 Yes, well, two and half years after that one of the friends 19:19 that I had in the church came and visit me. 19:23 And he was talking to me and like, 19:26 when we were into the conversation 19:27 for about an hour and a half or something, 19:30 he told me, Carlos, you know what? 19:32 You should come back 19:34 and that's the only thing I needed to hear. 19:36 When he said that I said, 19:38 you know, Nicolas, you're right. 19:41 I'm gonna get baptized. 19:43 And month after that I was getting baptized in the church. 19:45 Wow. Praise the Lord. 19:47 God has been preparing me all the way for that decision, 19:50 for that specific thing, that's what I can say. 19:52 Wow. Praise the Lord. 19:53 Now, I don't know if you're ready for this question? 19:56 Go ahead. 19:57 What about that dream after you became baptized? 19:59 Did you have it again? No. 20:00 No more? No more. 20:02 Okay, so now if the mountain is shaking you will be saved. 20:07 That's my hope. 20:08 So we know that you're a pastor now, 20:12 we want to get from the moment 20:13 you were baptized to that story. 20:15 Oh, that's a long story. But you were Christian. 20:18 Yes. 20:19 What type of school did you go to? 20:22 Did you go to a Christian school, 20:24 a public school, what type of school was it? 20:26 I did go to a Christian school 20:29 based in traditional religion, let's say. 20:33 I didn't attend a Seventh-day Adventist Church before. 20:37 So when you were baptized-- The school I went. 20:39 When you were baptized you were baptized 20:41 into the Seventh-day Adventist Church? 20:42 Yes, I was. Okay. 20:43 So you were going then 20:45 not to a Seventh-day Adventist School, 20:48 you say a traditional religious school. 20:51 Yes. 20:52 So what was your experience like there, 20:54 it was different than your beliefs? 20:56 Oh, completely different. 20:58 I felt like I was alone in a school 21:01 of about 2,000 people. 21:04 I used to believe that I was the only one 21:06 with my particular set of beliefs in that school 21:08 and that made it difficult 21:10 and interesting at the same time. 21:12 I was constantly challenged to defend myself 21:16 against the teachings of professors that, 21:20 they didn't think the same way, 21:21 they didn't alike and they didn't the same way 21:23 I used to do. 21:25 And I was also challenged by my friends. 21:28 Why do you believe that? Why do you do that? 21:29 Why don't you do that? 21:31 What's happening to you? What changed? 21:33 That was a constant question 21:35 that I actually had to face when I was studying. 21:36 So from one year-- what years of your life 21:39 were these 13, 14, 15-years-old? 21:42 Since I was, no, since I was 15 all the way to 17. 21:48 All the way to 17? 21:49 So were-- that was there any time 21:51 that in your mind you said, 21:53 man, I don't like to be different? 21:55 Maybe I should be like them 21:57 or were you happy in your experience? 21:59 To be true to my experience 22:02 I didn't processed information in the way. 22:05 Why am I right and they are wrong 22:06 or why they are right and I am wrong? 22:09 I then processed information that way. 22:11 I just knew what God was asking me do 22:13 and I didn't question it. 22:15 It wasn't a concern of mine whether they believe me or not, 22:18 whether they were in agreement with me or not 22:20 or whether I was in agreement with them or not? 22:22 I just knew what God was asking me to do. 22:25 And I just opened the Bible 22:27 and start teaching the word in my school. 22:29 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 22:30 So I would suggest or think-- 22:33 I know a little bit about the churches 22:35 in Dominican Republic. 22:36 I left there when I was 11-years-old 22:38 but I've been a few times. 22:42 I know that the youth programs are very active program, 22:47 Friday nights maybe, Saturday afternoons. 22:51 Was that your experience also? 22:54 Was there a strong youth activity in your church? 22:59 Did that draw you to be continued to be a part of it? 23:02 Yes, my church used to be is actually, 23:07 is still actually a very active church. 23:12 I used to see the church as a place 23:14 in which I want to see-- to connect good friends. 23:18 Good friends that believe exactly the same thing 23:21 I believed and they had similar experience to mine. 23:24 So it was actually a very important aspect 23:28 of my religious life. 23:30 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 23:32 Well, here is Carlos Cruz in Dominican Republic 23:36 going through school, in a school 23:38 that doesn't believe the same as his. 23:41 At what point in time did you understand 23:44 that God was calling you to be a minister? 23:52 Like, even before I finished school one of my professors, 23:58 a professor of philosophy in literature 24:01 that used to be a catholic seminarian 24:04 was teaching a class on ethics in civics. 24:10 And he made an example that I know right now 24:14 he wasn't aware of the implications 24:16 but he said something about-- 24:18 he was talking about something on concerning 24:21 the civics in Dominican Republic. 24:24 And he stopped the class for a second 24:26 and he pointed at me and he said to the whole class, 24:29 for example you see him? 24:31 He's a pastor. 24:33 You look at him, he's a pastor. 24:35 And then he just stopped right there 24:37 and continued the class as if nothing happened. 24:41 And that impacted my life 24:42 because I knew right then that it wasn't him. 24:47 I knew right then that it was God 24:49 calling me through him. 24:50 Very interesting. Very interesting. 24:53 How did this become solidify in your mind? 24:57 You say you knew it then but there is a moment in time 25:01 when you make a decision, I'm gonna do this. 25:04 Now were you at the Catholic school? 25:06 I mean, the traditional school still, 25:09 how was your-- 25:11 did they tried to convert you to that belief? 25:15 Well, the school that I attended to is a school 25:20 that it's very active in religious activities. 25:25 So I have to in some sense participate in those activities 25:29 but I had to participate from a perspective 25:33 in which I do not affect my beliefs 25:35 because I was not in the mood for compromising. 25:38 Okay. 25:40 I had to face several issues in my school. 25:43 One of them was that I was so passionate about the Word 25:47 that I was teaching the Book of Daniel 25:49 and the Book of Revelation in the school. 25:51 In the school? Yes. 25:52 As a teenager? Yeah. 25:54 That was my passion. 25:55 I founded so interesting that I even-- 25:58 I took from the church a board like this big, 26:01 like, meter long 26:05 and that board had the sanctuary painted in it 26:09 and I took it to my school and in the break, 26:13 the break was about 30 minutes, 26:15 I use the time to teach the people in my school 26:20 about the sanctuary 26:21 and about Daniel and Revelation, 26:22 that was my passion. 26:23 That's fascinating that you had that opportunity. 26:26 I mean, you're coming in 26:28 with this big board into school. 26:30 Did you have to walk far through the streets? 26:33 I mean, was it far from your house to walk to school? 26:36 It was about a mile and half. 26:38 So you were walking with this board across, 26:41 the people probably looking at you. 26:42 So then you're teaching was, 26:44 did you see interest in the people 26:46 as you were teaching? 26:47 Actually I did. 26:49 I was sharing the Word of God with about four or five persons 26:56 and one of them got baptized, 26:58 one of them decided after that to get baptized, 27:01 like a year or year and a half after that. 27:03 And the other ones actually were convinced 27:08 that the Word of God 27:09 was actually been taught in that moment. 27:12 Amen. Amen. 27:14 So let's go back to the time that you decided. 27:16 Okay, your mothers-- 27:18 you know, all the mothers have aspirations. 27:19 They want the children to be this or that, 27:22 doctors, attorneys. 27:24 I don't know if such expectations 27:28 were also shared with you. 27:29 Yes. 27:30 So when you told your family 27:32 this is what I would like to do, 27:34 they were extreme happiness. 27:36 Well, let me-- let me tell you something about my family. 27:41 My mom is an incredible woman. Amen. 27:44 And one thing that characterizes her 27:47 back then and still do, 27:49 is that she always puts her-- 27:54 me and my sister right in front of her 27:57 in every decision that she had to make 27:59 because she was very demanding with us too. 28:02 That means, she had very high expectations with us. 28:03 Expectations, great. She didn't believe. 28:06 She didn't used to believe the same way I believed. 28:09 So we had several problems, 28:11 one of them was my belief in the Sabbath, 28:14 one of them was my decision to eat healthy, 28:18 one of them was my decision 28:20 to get back to the Lord what its His, money related. 28:26 And my lifestyle as a whole, 28:28 my constant habit of studying the Bible, 28:31 she had problems with that. 28:32 She was very worried about me. 28:35 One of the things that she mentioned, 28:37 that she mentioned back then is that, 28:39 she was worried that I would go crazy 28:42 if I continue study the Bible. 28:43 Oh, really? Yeah. 28:45 So right now how many years have passed 28:47 and she sees you're not crazy. 28:50 Right now her experience is very different. 28:55 Right now she sees God through me. 28:57 Amen. 28:59 And that is a blessing I cannot explain with words. 29:02 Amen. Amen. 29:03 Right now she's convinced that God is leading me 29:06 and that is a blessing to me. 29:07 Praise the Lord. 29:08 So you decided to be a minister and how did that go? 29:14 It didn't go well at all. 29:16 When my mom heard 29:17 that I decided to go into ministry she said, 29:21 you're gonna starve, 29:23 you're gonna die with a cent in your pocket. 29:26 You're gonna die with a cent? 29:28 Without a cent. 29:29 Oh, without a cent in your pocket. 29:30 Wow. 29:32 She was convinced that, 29:33 that was not the kind of career I shall choose. 29:37 I was very proficient in mathematics. 29:41 So the first thing that came into her mind was, 29:44 you had to be an engineer. 29:45 Okay. You have to be an engineer. 29:47 Go and study computers. You know a lot about that. 29:49 You like them. 29:51 But I said, mom, 29:53 this is what God is asking me to do 29:55 and this is what I'm gonna be doing. 29:56 And when I told her the first time I just said mom, 30:01 I want to study theology, 30:03 that was a nuclear bomb right there. 30:05 Wow. 30:06 It took me like two months to actually say 30:10 something that make sense to her. 30:11 I came to her, 30:13 she was actually arguing with me about it 30:15 and she said, you're gonna die starving 30:18 because you're not gonna get enough money 30:19 to cover your expenses. 30:21 And I said mom, 30:22 I'm gonna say you this only once. 30:25 God told me that that is what I've to do 30:28 because that is what He needs to be doing 30:31 and that is exactly what I'm gonna do. 30:33 Once I said those words that God was the one calling me, 30:37 no problems whatsoever, she accepted it. 30:39 She accepted it, praise the Lord. 30:41 She wasn't happy though, she accepted it. 30:43 Well, we can praise the Lord for that. 30:45 How did you understand that 30:48 that is what God wanted you to do? 30:50 I mean, there was the first message 30:55 from the person that was saying, 30:56 hey, he's gonna be a pastor, that person right there. 31:00 You said that you were sure-- 31:01 that's what God wanted you to do. 31:03 Was there a dream? 31:04 Was there a message in your mind? 31:06 Was there an audible voice? How did you understand that? 31:09 It wasn't an audible voice. 31:10 When I heard the professor 31:12 I distinguished the voice, let's say. 31:15 I knew something was different, 31:16 that wasn't him and I was-- and I heard that voice before. 31:19 So since that moment I knew it was God talking through him. 31:23 And since that moment on I just had the natural 31:27 or that is what I was born to do 31:29 and that is what I was going to do. 31:31 So I didn't question it, I just accept it. 31:35 Since that moment on I knew I was going to be a theologian. 31:38 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 31:39 Well, you're graduation. 31:42 Anything you can share about that? 31:45 My graduation was on a Sabbath, 31:48 on a Saturday afternoon. 31:50 From that traditional school. 31:51 From that school. 31:52 Yes. Okay. 31:54 And I told my professors that I'll not attend. 31:57 And when they ask me why, I said, 31:59 well, because the Bible says 32:01 that Christians should keep the Sabbath 32:03 because that is the day that God consecrated for Him. 32:06 And they said, we don't believe that. 32:08 We believe the day we shall keep is the Sunday, 32:12 but we'll accept that. 32:13 And I said well, 32:15 I'll not go and they said you should go, 32:16 you have to go. 32:17 And I said, I will not. 32:19 So I talked to mom and I said, mom, 32:20 I'm not gonna go to do my graduation. 32:23 She was devastated. Wow. 32:25 But some days after the director 32:29 of the school came to me 32:30 and she asked to explain the situation and I said, 32:34 I believe in the Bible and I'm a Christian 32:35 and I will like to keep the Sabbath. 32:37 I'll not break the Sabbath for my graduation. 32:40 And she said, well, the ceremony is going to start, 32:43 what you call the Sabbath but it's gonna end after that. 32:46 So can you come after the Sabbath passes 32:48 and I said I would. 32:49 Now let me ask you a question. 32:51 You're saying that, she said the ceremony 32:53 is going to start-- 32:55 she knew your belief on the Sabbath 32:57 that after sunset on Saturday, 33:00 the next day begins, Sunday begins, 33:03 the evening of Saturday is Sunday. 33:05 So she-- did you tell her that time or she already? 33:09 Well, I actually told her-- You had told her. 33:11 My beliefs about the Sabbath 33:13 and how this Sabbath starts on Friday afternoon 33:17 and ends on the Saturday afternoon. 33:19 So she knew at that moment what I was talking about. 33:22 So when you-- what was your reaction to her offer? 33:27 Well, I said, well, if that is the case 33:29 than I'm willing to go to the graduation 33:31 but I'm just gonna tell you this, 33:33 I'm gonna-- I'm gonna go exactly 33:35 after the Sabbath has passed and that's what I did. 33:40 That Sabbath I was actually listening to my music, 33:43 my Christian music in the computer 33:44 and my mom was exceedingly worried. 33:46 She was saying every five or ten minutes, 33:49 just go ahead take a shower and get dress. 33:52 Just get ready. 33:53 So as soon as the suns come down we can go. 33:57 And I said, mom, 33:58 this is my personal day to be with Christ. 34:02 I don't want to worry and I don't worry to rush it. 34:04 Let me enjoy this blessing. 34:06 And right when I finished my devotional 34:09 for the end of the Sabbath and I started the new week, 34:11 than I went and shower, take my clothes on, 34:14 putting on and then arrived to the graduation. 34:18 When I opened the door I was actually 34:20 the last name been called in the list. 34:24 And when all my friends saw me approaching the door, 34:28 actually entering the door, they all stand up clapping. 34:31 They did? Thankfully that I was-- 34:34 that I made it to the graduation. 34:35 Praise the Lord. Amen. 34:37 At the end of the ceremony 34:39 a couple of parents came to me 34:41 and actually ask me about why I was late. 34:44 And I had the opportunity to share my beliefs. 34:46 I said, I was late because I didn't want to break 34:49 the Sabbath, the Sabbath is holy. 34:51 And they were very impressed 34:52 and that something that I actually, 34:55 that I thank God for giving me the opportunity. 34:58 Amen. Amen. 34:59 So you began your studies as a minister. 35:02 You begin that in Dominican Republic? 35:04 No I didn't. 35:06 My, my original intension was to go Andrews in Michigan 35:09 where I'm studying right now. 35:11 But when I was praying about it 35:12 God said clearly that's not the place you're gonna go, 35:15 you're gonna somewhere else. 35:16 I didn't know where but I just knew 35:18 I was gonna to another place. 35:21 And somehow I got connected with somebody 35:24 that I was studying at Andrews 35:26 that suggested me to go Puerto Rico. 35:28 Okay. 35:29 And when I received that message, 35:33 God than told me that's the place you have to go 35:36 and I decided to go to Puerto Rico. 35:37 Then I got my bachelors degree in theology there. 35:40 Praise the Lord. 35:41 So you went to the-- 35:42 Mayaguez Seventh-day Adventist University? 35:44 I did, Antillean. 35:46 Antillean Seventh-day Adventist University 35:48 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. 35:49 Yes. Praise the Lord. 35:51 So now you're in the United States of America. 35:56 I think earlier this-- 35:58 earlier this year you participated 36:03 in one of 3ABN Latinos events in Chicago 36:07 and we invited you to preach one sermon. 36:10 Yes. 36:12 What was your reaction 36:14 when you received the invitation? 36:18 I was shocked. 36:20 I've never been behind a camera 36:23 for something different than an interview 36:27 just like this one. 36:28 And it's not the same experience. 36:30 When you're behind a camera you actually, 36:33 I'll ease myself, I get a little worried. 36:35 In front of the camera? Yeah, in front of the camera. 36:37 For me it's easy to talk to the people 36:39 than talk to a camera, I don't know why. 36:42 And it has been difficult to me to do it 36:45 but when I hear that I got an invitation 36:48 to preach in front of a camera 36:50 in one of the main events of 3ABN 36:52 I was very grateful but at the same time 36:54 I was very, very worried. 36:56 Well, praise the Lord. I remember the message. 36:59 It was a message from the Lord. Praise the Lord. 37:02 We are grateful for your participation. 37:05 And do you believe then 37:06 that the Lord is leading your life? 37:08 Of course without doubt. 37:10 Without doubt He has been the One 37:13 pulling and pushing the Cruz all the way. 37:17 Amen. 37:18 Well, I guess we should reveal to our friends 37:23 that are listening and watching 37:25 if you have been starving 37:28 as what prophesized by your mother 37:30 or would you say the Lord has blessed you? 37:33 Well, to be very honest with you, 37:36 there's no one thing I have been in need off 37:38 that I haven't received. 37:39 Sometimes in a miracles way 37:41 that I not even myself can explain so far. 37:44 So I will tell you very honestly 37:46 that the prophecy that my mom told me 37:51 is not been fulfilled. 37:52 God has been really good to me. 37:54 So we see-- 37:56 I'm thinking of Psalms 34 where it says, 37:58 "The Lord will bless you in such a way 38:01 that you will not lack any good thing." 38:03 So we praise the Lord for that. 38:04 That is my experience 38:06 and I think that's what God wants to do 38:08 to every human being in this world. 38:10 Amen. Amen. 38:11 Well, at this point we know that you, 38:14 you were pastoring a church in Michigan. 38:16 Where was this in Michigan? In Grand Rapids, Michigan. 38:19 Grand Rapids, Michigan, a Spanish church. 38:20 Yeah, it was a Spanish church, Maranatha. 38:22 Maranatha Spanish Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 38:26 Well, then you are now studying. 38:28 You continue your studies. 38:29 What are you studying currently? 38:31 I'm finishing a master's degree in systematic theology. 38:35 Right now I'm writing the thesis 38:37 and I'm planning to go into my Phd in theological ethics 38:40 as soon as I finish the thesis that probably is gonna go on 38:45 until January or February of next year. 38:51 I would like to know 38:52 because the way you're expressing yourself 38:55 is that God is leading your life, 38:58 you graduate in Puerto Rico. 38:59 Yes. 39:00 How did you get to Michigan? 39:03 How did the Lord say, Pastor Carlos Cruz, 39:06 now he's going to Michigan 39:07 or was there another place before this? 39:09 Actually no. 39:11 When I was studying in Puerto Rico 39:12 I remember one year before finishing I ask Him, 39:17 I'm about to finish, Lord. 39:18 What do You want me to do now? 39:20 And He said, you're gonna go and study. 39:22 And I said, that is a wonderful idea. 39:24 What do You want me to study? 39:26 And He said, well, you're gonna study 39:27 systematic theology in New Testament. 39:30 And I said, well, that sounds like a good deal. 39:32 And when I finished that, what do You want me to do? 39:34 And He said, as soon you get there, 39:37 two years from now I'm gonna tell you exactly 39:40 what you have to do. 39:41 So just go there and do what I'm asking you. 39:44 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 39:46 So God is leading your life? Yes, He is. 39:49 Well, we'll be-- 39:50 hopefully we can do another part to this 39:52 and see how the Lord has led in your life 39:55 but you have said the Lord has blessed you 39:56 and you seem to have this firm belief 40:00 that God performs miracles. 40:01 Oh, yes. 40:02 Would you share one of those with us? 40:07 Which one? 40:09 Well, first of all I do believe in different kind of miracles. 40:13 I do not believe that the only kind of miracles 40:15 that God does is resurrecting someone from the death. 40:19 In fact, I believe the most difficult miracle 40:21 God can do is actually to transform a heart 40:25 because at the end of the day the dust is not-- 40:30 even though it's organic 40:32 it actually responds to God's word. 40:34 The truest respond to God's word, 40:36 but the heart not necessarily always do that. 40:40 So the biggest miracle 40:42 that I've seen is my own transformation, 40:45 the transformation of the people that I love. 40:47 Amen. 40:49 There are miracles that I can mention about protection. 40:52 God sending His angels to save me 40:55 from different dangerous situations. 41:00 For example, one time in Puerto Rico 41:02 when I was studying I was very troubled. 41:05 I remember that, that week I was preaching in a church 41:08 and my heart was very, very, very troubled 41:11 for some situations I was dealing with. 41:14 And I went to a wig tree that we have at the university 41:18 that we call the seva, 41:19 it's a humungous tree, humungous. 41:22 And I pray to God and I put to God 41:24 and I said, God, I really need Your help. 41:26 I really need to see the angels now. 41:28 I really need to see that 41:30 You're with me in the midst of this difficult situation. 41:34 When I opened my eyes 41:35 I saw the angels surrounding the camping, 41:38 forming a circle around me 41:39 and that was one of the most beautiful experiences 41:42 I've ever had in my life. 41:44 Praise the Lord. Yes. 41:45 Praise the Lord. 41:46 Well, we're praising the Lord for that. 41:49 It's amazing how God works. 41:51 He works in each individual's life 41:53 and as we give the Lord opportunity, 41:58 He does more for us. 41:59 Sure. 42:00 And, but also it is an opportunity 42:03 for us to praise Him 42:04 because He does so many wonderful things. 42:07 I think, I can safely say 42:09 that there's not a day that passes 42:10 by where the Lord does not perform a blessing 42:15 for us in some way, many blessing every day. 42:20 So as we open our hearts to Him, 42:23 it's like it gives permission for Him to say, 42:26 I'll now show you something more. 42:28 We're the ones that set the limit. 42:30 We're the one-- it has very well put. 42:32 God, God, it's able to bestow all the blessing of heaven 42:37 if we ask for them and if we believe 42:40 that He wants to do it. 42:41 So at the end of the day, 42:43 the ones that limit to God is not Himself, it's us. 42:48 So if we change our attitude towards Him, 42:51 we'll actually see, we'll be witness 42:54 of the wonderful things that He has to do 42:56 and that He wants to do. 42:58 Now what is your desire? 42:59 You're studying, you're preparing yourself, 43:03 do you have some goal in mind 43:05 or are you waiting for the Lord? 43:08 You said the Lord is gonna will reveal 43:10 to you what's next. 43:12 Well, to be honest with you, my passion is teaching. 43:16 But I do that whatever, whenever I go 43:18 and whatever I have the opportunity. 43:21 When God brought me to Michigan to study, 43:25 right after I started studying, a year after that 43:29 He told me that I was going to be a pastor. 43:31 In a year after that I was actually pastoring a church. 43:35 While I was pastoring the church 43:36 I was actually teaching. 43:38 So I can tell you that, that is my passion 43:40 but at the end of the day 43:42 I'm not the one deciding where I'm gonna be. 43:44 I do whatever He asks me to do. 43:46 Amen. Amen. 43:49 when you give evangelistic campaigns, 43:53 seminars, do you do any in English? 43:56 Our viewers, I'm sure want to know, 43:58 does he also do this English or is it just Spanish? 44:02 I have participated in some events in English. 44:07 I've given some series about the Great Controversy theme 44:10 and the writings E.G. White for example 44:12 and in the Bible in English. 44:15 And I had presented in other activities in English. 44:21 It's not I'm not used to it, 44:23 but I'd be happy to do it if necessary. 44:26 Okay. 44:27 What types of seminars or teachings do you-- 44:31 you mentioned the Great Controversies. 44:32 Yes. 44:33 Do you have-- it seems like the Lord takes us 44:38 thorough a different teachings, currently I will say that way, 44:43 currently if you were invited to speak somewhere 44:47 what would be the concentration of your message? 44:51 Right now at this moment it will be the love, 44:53 the immense love of God right now. 44:57 I believe that is the topic that can summarize everything 45:00 that has at going on in the Bible 45:03 and in my life, that's it. 45:06 Well, praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 45:08 Well, when we look at the Bible 45:11 we see that God's universe runs on the great principle of love. 45:18 And you know, we even see 45:20 the scriptures tell us God is love. 45:24 And then, you know, the two great commandments 45:28 as summarized that love the Lord your God 45:31 with all your heart, with all your mind, 45:33 with all of your soul and your neighbor as yourself. 45:35 Love your neighbor as you love yourself. 45:38 Give us a little snippet about God's love that, 45:45 that has impacted you. 45:46 Well, I believe the center, 45:49 the real center, the ethical center of the Bible 45:52 is actually the principle of love. 45:54 As thesis summarized it, it is the same, 45:57 the basic principle that intertwines 45:59 in all the commandments. 46:01 Half of them have to be deal directly, let's say, 46:05 would God and the other have with our neighbor. 46:08 So basically God is trying to restore us 46:12 to that first principle that we use to believe in, 46:16 that we used to practice when we were created at first. 46:19 So the purpose of the Bible as a whole is to show God 46:24 and how He is trying to restore the human beings 46:27 into that principle of love 46:29 and to that connection with Him and for me that is amazing. 46:33 Amen. Amen. 46:34 And truly I believe it is also amazing 46:36 and so I think the more you study God's love 46:39 the more amazed you will be. 46:41 And so I encourage everyone to look at this topic. 46:46 I mean, its never ending 46:48 let's say to consider God's love 46:50 and His magnitude of His love and the expression of His love 46:53 and it will not surprise me that we'll have all eternity 46:57 to continue looking into God's love. 47:00 Amen. 47:01 Well, Pastor Cruz, 47:02 we like to share your contact information at this time. 47:06 And so for those of you 47:08 that would like to contact Pastor Cruz 47:09 here's the information you will need. 47:13 If you would like to contact Pastor Cruz, 47:15 then you can write to Carlos Cruz, 47:18 5079 West Bluffview Drive, 47:21 Berrien Springs, Michigan, 49103. 47:25 That's Carlos Cruz, 5079 West Bluffview Drive, 47:30 Berrien Springs, Michigan, 49103. 47:34 You can call 269-779-6932. 47:38 That's 269-779-6932 47:43 or you can email him at pr.ccruz@gmail.com. 47:50 That's pr.ccruz@gmail.com. 47:58 Very good. 47:59 Now we hope you were able to jot all that down 48:00 and if not you can contact us at 3ABN. 48:04 Well, at this time we would like 48:05 to share another musical offering with you 48:08 and we would like to encourage you 48:09 to listen to the words as Sandra Entermann sings, 48:12 "You Gave Me Love." 48:28 You gave me time 48:31 When no one gave me time of day 48:40 You looked deep inside 48:43 While the rest of the world looked away 48:52 You smiled at me 48:55 When there were just frowns everywhere 49:05 You gave me love 49:07 When nobody gave me a prayer 49:17 That's why I call You Savior 49:23 That's why I call You Friend 49:29 You touched my heart 49:32 You touched my soul 49:35 And helped me start all over again 49:41 That's why I love You, Jesus 49:47 That's why I'll always care 49:54 You gave me love 49:56 When nobody gave me a prayer 50:06 You gave me laughter 50:09 After I cried all of my tears 50:18 You heard my dreams 50:21 While the rest of the world closed its ears 50:30 I looked in Your eyes 50:33 And I found such tenderness there 50:42 You gave me love 50:44 When nobody gave me a prayer 50:53 And that's why I call You Savior 50:59 That's why I call You Friend 51:05 You touched my heart 51:08 You touched my soul 51:11 And helped me start all over again 51:17 That's why I love You, Jesus 51:23 That's why I'll always care 51:29 You gave me love 51:32 When nobody gave me a prayer 51:41 And that's why I call You Savior 51:47 That's why I call You Friend 51:53 You touched my heart 51:56 You touched my soul 51:59 And helped me start all over again 52:05 That's why I love You, Jesus 52:11 That's why I'll always care 52:18 You gave me love 52:21 When nobody gave me a prayer |
Revised 2015-01-29