Participants: C. A. Murray (Host), Ruthie Jacobsen & Pavel Goia
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY015023A
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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 00:30 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 3ABN Today. 01:09 My name is C.A. Murray. 01:11 And allow me once again to thank you 01:12 for sharing just a little bit of your 01:15 no doubt busy day with us, and a thank you 01:17 for your love, your prayers and support of 3ABN. 01:20 I could not be more excited. 01:23 One because of the subject matter 01:24 and one because of we tend to use this term 01:27 a lot special guests. 01:28 But these are indeed special guests. 01:31 Perhaps guests is the wrong word 01:33 'cause they've been here so many times 01:34 and so often that none of them are guests anymore. 01:37 And we're gonna be talking about prayer 01:40 and the power of prayer 01:41 and how we can join together in prayer. 01:43 So we got to-- we have an exciting subject 01:45 and we got some exciting people 01:47 to talk about, I'll start with well, 01:48 it's just the Ruthie Jacobsen 01:49 who is a very familiar face to our 3ABN family. 01:52 It was good to have you here. 01:53 Thank you. Great to be here. 01:55 And time has been kind to you my lady. 01:57 You're just as attractive as ever 01:59 and I'm throwing the flowers right now. 02:01 It's going to be a good program. 02:02 Her husband in the middle here Don Jacobsen, 02:05 we've known for many, many years. 02:06 I'm trying to think, Don, because I first me you 02:10 when in 2000, when you were still with 02:14 Adventist World Radio. 02:15 We're doing some stories for the church. 02:17 Ruthie, I met I don't remember where, 02:21 I do remember where, I don't remember 02:22 when the person introduced us was Pat Langley. 02:25 Yeah. 02:26 You know Pat of course. 02:27 So we've always kind of know Ruthie, 02:29 and last but certainly not least is Pastor Pavel Goia 02:33 who's been here. 02:34 We call him here the glass man 02:35 because of one of his miracle story 02:37 that God has blessed him with over the years. 02:40 Pavel, good to have you here. 02:41 My privilege to be here. 02:42 Pastoring now in Lexington, Kentucky. 02:44 Lexington, yeah. 02:45 And, Ruthie, still working with 02:46 North American division as prayer. 02:48 Don, whiling the ways-- days away by the pool retired. 02:54 When he's not show for Ruthie. 02:57 Designated driver, right. 02:59 Haven't seen that yet. 03:01 Okay, but it is good to have you guys here. 03:04 And what we're gonna talk about, 03:07 it's called pray, pray one thousand. 03:11 Now before we go to our music I need to get-- 03:13 No, you noticed it-- 03:14 I said pray one thousand. 03:15 It's a thousand times a thousand. 03:17 Pray One Million. Yes. 03:19 You're trying to get a discount. 03:23 Excellent Pray One Million 03:25 yet not pray a thousand, thousand. 03:27 Right. Right. 03:28 Yeah, Ruthie, where did it come from? 03:30 How did the idea occur? 03:32 And give us kind of an overview 03:34 before we're to going to the specifics. 03:35 Well, 2014 was the year of prayer 03:39 all across North American division. 03:40 Yes. 03:41 And our friend Elder Ricardo Graham 03:45 chaired the committee, this joint committee 03:47 during that year. 03:48 But as we were closing the year we said we need an initiative 03:52 that will carry over into 2015 and longer. 03:56 Because you can't just have prayer for a year 04:00 and make that the emphasis for one year 04:02 because once it starts growing, it needs to keep growing. 04:06 And so the initiative was born in that committee 04:10 Pray One Million and it has caught on. 04:13 Yes. 04:14 It has caught on. 04:15 We're asking every member 04:17 and those who aren't members. 04:19 You know, they can be a member of another denomination, 04:23 another division and the church to just pray for one person, 04:27 one specific person every single day. 04:30 And every two or three months 04:33 if only half of the membership of this denomination prays, 04:38 it will be an accumulation of one million hours. 04:41 Wow. Wow. One million hours. 04:43 That is exciting. Praise God. 04:45 Yeah, pray one thousand, thousand. 04:49 Pray One Million beautiful idea, 04:52 and in fact to lockdown on one person 04:55 and just concentrate on that individual 04:58 that is a wonderful thing to do. 05:01 And God we're already hearing exciting stories. 05:04 This got started across the division 05:08 toward the end of 2014 05:11 and then of course now it's growing. 05:13 But we started hearing stories almost immediately, 05:18 people that were totally impossible 05:20 from a human standpoint. 05:21 Yes. 05:22 Can I tell you one real quickly? 05:23 Oh, please do. 05:25 Jim Moon in Colorado was praying for a man 05:29 who is gay and who is militant, militant about that. 05:34 And an alcoholic 05:36 and the Lord just impressed him take Bill, take Bill 05:40 because only God can reach hearts like that. 05:43 Yes. 05:44 Or only God can reach any of us really. 05:46 But He started going to the throne 05:49 with Bill's name day after day after day, 05:52 saying Lord I know you can do it. 05:53 I know he's valuable to You. 05:56 Do something for real. 05:57 And after a few weeks he and Bill became better friends. 06:02 And Bill finally said to him, I don't think I'm ready yet, 06:05 but I'm no longer militant. 06:07 And I am celibate and I want to be baptized. 06:12 Wow. 06:14 I mean that is huge. That is a blessing. 06:15 Yeah, and it's very huge. Very huge. Very huge. 06:19 If you'd look at something that one may consider 06:23 almost impossible or certainly a more difficult task 06:26 that would be it. 06:27 And to have that change, that's a God thing. 06:29 Well, and all through scripture 06:31 God has one impossible situation 06:33 after another that He solves. 06:34 Yeah, that's what He does. 06:36 And He says, I'm the same today, trust Me. 06:40 Praise God. 06:41 Don, are you part of this? 06:43 Well, of course anything your wife does, 06:44 you are de facto part of it. 06:45 Right. 06:46 But are you fulfilling any particular niche 06:50 with Pray One Million? 06:52 Well, I do a lot of the editing 06:53 and so forth but, C.A., we've been so exciting. 06:57 See, this is not just about praying with a stopwatch. 07:02 But it's seeking to in test. 07:04 I mean we all pray for people, 07:05 you know, most of us have a prayer list. 07:07 We go through it pretty quick. 07:09 You know, bless mom, bless dad, bless the pastor, 07:11 help me find my keys, you know, those kind of things, 07:14 but what we're suggesting is that everybody take, 07:16 ask the Lord to lay on your heart one individual. 07:20 And maybe a neighbor or friend, relative, 07:24 somebody you don't like. 07:25 I mean, there's no limit to who that could be. 07:29 And the Bible says that Jesus intercedes with us. 07:33 So whoever we choose, 07:35 Jesus is already interceding for that person. 07:37 That means that Jesus and I are prayer partners. 07:39 Yes. 07:40 Working before the throne. 07:42 With this one individual and to set aside 07:46 a minimum of one person, a minimum of one minute 07:49 everyday to pray for this to intercede to claim promises, 07:55 to ask God how we can be helpful 07:56 in their spiritual journey. 07:59 And then to realize that if only half of us do this 08:02 in our denomination across North America 08:06 that would generate, 08:07 that generates a million hours of prayer 08:10 every three months or so that we're bringing 08:12 before the throne of grace. 08:13 Yes. Yes. 08:14 That just really thrills me. 08:16 You know, I'd like to think that 08:18 I'm part of the prayer movement. 08:20 Yes, I like that idea. 08:21 This is not just something being done. 08:22 And that's what it is. 08:23 Yes. Yes. That's right. 08:24 Yes. Yes. 08:25 I'm praying for a young man who is a Baptist pastor. 08:29 Oh. 08:30 Who thinks he's my son. 08:32 Isn't that great? 08:33 Praise the Lord. 08:35 You know, Don, you touched on a couple of things, 08:36 Pavel, I'm coming to you actually do get to speak. 08:39 But you said a couple of things that touch me. 08:42 One, I don't know if it's Ruth or Don you said, 08:44 we're not doing this with a stopwatch. 08:45 So and I say okay, 08:47 you get a minute and I got to go. 08:48 But it's not, it's something that's ongoing. 08:51 Yeah. 08:52 And that you're invested in, 08:54 so I think your first prayer should be 08:56 Lord who do you want me to focus on? 08:59 Exactly. We did not think. 09:00 Absolutely. Yeah. 09:01 then once you do it lockdown on 'em. 09:04 The second thing you said 09:05 is choose a neighbor or choose an enemy. 09:07 Yeah. 09:09 Choosing an enemy ain't a bad idea. 09:11 That's right. 09:12 Because I suspect if you bring them 09:14 to the Lord for any length of time, 09:15 that enemy won't be an enemy for long. 09:16 That's true. It's right. 09:18 And it's hard to hate somebody 09:19 whose name you're taking to the Lord everyday. 09:20 Amen. 09:21 If you got a neighbor who is, 09:23 you know, throwing garbage over in your yard 09:25 or whatever, pray for that guy you know, 09:28 you make a mistake your garbage out. 09:30 You never can tell. 09:31 God can take him out. 09:32 He surely can. 09:33 So I think it's a great idea to focus on one person 09:37 or a number of people for a longer period of time. 09:41 But to pick one person and just lay on that person, 09:43 I think that's a wonderful idea. 09:45 Really a wonderful idea. 09:46 Before I go to Pavel, 09:47 anything else story wise 09:49 'cause I love-- first of all stories excite me 09:51 and they let us know that this stuff really works. 09:55 Well, I just wanted to say, we just got back from Bermuda. 09:59 And one of the lives that touched us is a legend. 10:02 This man is a legend. 10:04 He's a member of our church in Bermuda. 10:07 He's 92 years old. 10:09 He gets up at 2:45 every morning. 10:11 I know who you're talking about, yes. 10:12 Johnny Barnes. Yes, yes. 10:14 He gets up, 10:15 he drives to this corner of the intersection 10:20 in traffic circle in Hamilton and he stands out there. 10:24 Yes. 10:25 From 4 o'clock in the morning until 10 10:28 and he says God bless you, thanks for coming to Bermuda. 10:32 We love you, throws kisses. 10:34 Yeah. 10:35 There're cars, there're buses, 10:36 there're trucks going around the circle. 10:38 People love that man. 10:39 Yes. Yes. They love that man. 10:40 Yeah. 10:41 And he's just full of the love of Lord. 10:43 Oh, yes. 10:44 And he's standing out there praying for people 10:46 silently, loving people. 10:49 And I just think he is being faithful to his calling. 10:54 Yes, he is. Yes, yes. 10:55 And they told us they said when this man dies, 10:58 it's gonna be a funeral across this island 11:01 like you've never seen. 11:02 Yes. Yes. 11:03 Because he's so loved and he is a legend. 11:06 They have a statue there now and he gave me a picture of him 11:11 standing beside the statue and we're framing it. 11:15 Yeah. And it's a big one. 11:16 He said, if you frame this you'll have, 11:17 but if you don't frame it you'll lose it. 11:19 I said that's right, Johnny. 11:21 I took a picture, 11:22 I took a picture of him kissing her on the cheek. 11:26 Okay, so we got well acquainted. 11:29 But, C.A., to me that's a beautiful illustration. 11:32 Yes. 11:33 Of the power of prayer. 11:35 The power of obedience to God and loving people. 11:39 And God takes that combination. 11:41 Yes. 11:42 And Pray One Million is the same. 11:45 You're saying God put somebody on my heart, 11:47 I want to love that person to the throne. 11:50 I'm gonna take that name to the throne 11:53 and just love that person through me. 11:56 And I want to be as faithful as Johnny Barnes. 11:59 And when Johnny Barnes is not there, 12:00 he's missed and they come seeking him 12:02 because they expect him everyday. 12:03 That's true. That's right. 12:04 And I'd think once you begin praying, 12:06 the Lord is gonna expect you 12:07 to be there everyday, do it for-- 12:08 Amen. 12:09 I have a message-- 12:10 our priest just this past week at ASI, 12:12 "Deeds of kindness tear down walls of separation 12:15 and build bridges to salvation. 12:17 It's hard to hate somebody who is loving on you, 12:19 you know. 12:20 It's gonna tear down that wall 12:22 and if they're praying for you, then you got some extra help, 12:24 you know, from the Lord that cannot be defeated. 12:27 I think it's a great idea. 12:28 Pastor Pavel, 12:30 we know you've got some miracles stories 12:31 because that's your thing. 12:35 I think I'll go to our music, then we'll come back 12:37 and let you go just a little bit and come back. 12:40 Yeah, it's gonna be a good program 12:41 so do stay with us. 12:42 We've got three exciting people who are full of the love of God 12:46 and full of the miracles of God. 12:50 So you want to stay by. 12:51 Just now Steve Darmody is here and he's going to sing, 12:54 "I walked today where Jesus walked." 13:25 I walked today where Jesus walked 13:32 In days of long ago 13:40 I wandered down each path He knew 13:47 With reverent step and slow 13:54 Those little lanes, they have not changed 14:02 A sweet peace fills the air 14:09 I walked today where Jesus walked 14:16 And felt His presence there 14:24 My pathway led through Bethlehem 14:30 Ah! mem'ries ever sweet 14:37 The little hills of Galilee 14:44 That knew those childish feet 14:52 The Mount of Olives, hallowed scenes 14:57 That Jesus knew before 15:05 I saw the mighty Jordan roll 15:11 As in the days of yore 15:24 I knelt today where Jesus knelt 15:31 Where all alone he prayed 15:38 The Garden of Gethsemane 15:45 My heart felt unafraid 15:53 I picked my heavy burden up 15:59 And with Him at my side 16:07 I climbed the Hill of Calvary 16:13 I climbed the Hill of Calvary 16:20 I climbed the Hill of Calvary 16:27 Where on the Cross He died 16:40 I walked today where Jesus walked 16:48 And felt Him close 16:56 He wants with me 17:01 And He talks with me 17:07 And He tells me that 17:11 I am His own 17:18 Oh the joy we share 17:23 as we tarry there 17:31 As I feel Him 17:34 close to me 18:09 Thank you, Steve, 18:10 "I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked," well done 18:13 and we praise the Lord. 18:14 We are here with Ruthie Jacobson, 18:16 Don Jacobson and Pastor Pavel Goia. 18:18 And we're talking about the Pray One Million project. 18:22 There's something in me wants to say one thousand, 18:24 so I'll just say one thousand, thousand 18:25 when I say one thousand but it is one million 18:28 and it is a wonderful idea. 18:30 The idea of taking a name and praying each day 18:34 and everyday for at least one minute for that person. 18:39 Person's projects can we expand that to persons and projects 18:43 and as Don has said, your friends, your neighbors 18:47 someone you want to win to the Lord, 18:48 someone who may never have it. 18:50 Someone who may consider themselves your enemy. 18:53 These are all likely candidates for Pray One Million 18:57 and you were saying that if only half of the membership 19:01 of the division or the church. 19:03 North America. 19:04 Of North America sort of locks on to this, 19:07 we will have one million hours of prayer each-- 19:10 Every three months. Every three months. 19:11 Yeah, yeah. 19:12 But we know that we can count quarters 'cause we, you know-- 19:13 That's exciting. 19:15 Yeah, every time you have a communion, 19:16 you know, you've got your one man in really good idea. 19:20 And Pastor Pavel like I said you actually get to speak, 19:23 you've got some instances where this is, 19:25 you've seen this kind of work miracles for the Lord. 19:28 Absolutely. Yeah. 19:29 Absolutely. 19:30 You see if something happens in our family, 19:32 we don't just mention be with my son, 19:34 he had an accident and they move on. 19:36 We labor over the name. 19:38 We care for them. 19:40 And when we don't just mention genetically 19:43 oh, be those who don't know you. 19:45 But we tell name by name and labor over the names. 19:49 At least I mean it could be more, 19:51 there is no clock like, 19:52 okay, the minute is gone. 19:54 But when we take each name and labor over it, 19:56 we give God opportunities to work 19:58 and you don't do it one time but daily. 20:01 You see for instance, I could give many examples 20:05 but I'm gonna focus on couple of them probably. 20:07 For instance we were young, I remember being in Romania. 20:11 We had the youth group of 11 20:16 and each one took one from each family. 20:21 And it happens that in one of the families 20:24 I'm not gonna give names or places 20:26 but in one of the families 20:28 the father was in the communist government 20:30 and he was treating his family pretty bad. 20:34 In fact in one instance 20:36 he tried to roll over his wife with a car, 20:40 stop going to church, forget God. 20:42 You ruined my career. 20:44 I'm in the communist government. 20:45 I don't need somebody in my family to go church. 20:48 The story is long. 20:51 The others there was hope, but this guy was hopeless. 20:54 He did not want to hear about God. 20:56 He tried to poison her. 20:57 He tried to roll over her with a car. 21:01 It was just hopeless. 21:02 You could not talk to him about it. 21:03 He was angry. 21:05 We started to pray for him. 21:08 We prayed between I don't remember three months 21:11 or six months but after three months 21:13 we started to see results. 21:15 And I can tell you specifically seven out of eleven people 21:18 that we prayed for God baptized. 21:21 This specific man that he was and his wife, 21:24 he is tall and she is short like David and Goliath. 21:27 I mean he is big and she is small. 21:30 He came home one day and he dropped had heart attack 21:35 and they lived at the fourth storey 21:37 and she is heavy as he was. 21:40 And she was small and sick and weak. 21:43 She took him and dragged him there was no elevator, 21:46 no-- you know, dragged him down the stairs 21:50 and prayed for power. 21:51 And in Romania if you'd wait in that time for the ambulance, 21:54 you'll better call Pizza Hut 21:56 because they would come faster than the ambulance. 21:58 So she put him in the car, 22:03 she drove him to hospital 22:05 and she prayed over him three days and three nights. 22:08 And eventually he came back, they managed to save his life. 22:11 Praise God. 22:12 And when he woke up 22:14 after three days and three nights of no sleep 22:16 that she was praying over him and we were praying too 22:20 because we had already over three months of praying 22:22 for the 11 names that he was one of the 11. 22:25 When he woke up, he saw her praying 22:29 and he put his hands on her head and said, 22:32 you should be happy if I die. 22:34 You should have let me die in the house there. 22:37 It will be your way out. 22:38 Why do you keep praying for me? 22:40 I said honey, since I started to pray for you, 22:43 I started to love you more and more. 22:45 Oh, Praise God. 22:46 And there she said, I want you saved 22:48 and if you got doubt, 22:49 there is only one away divorce or love you and pray for you. 22:52 So I chose the second one. 22:54 Good man. 22:55 He got out of hospital. 22:57 That Sabbath he was in suit and tie in the church. 23:00 Wow. 23:01 Got baptized, never missed again. 23:03 He's involved in the church. Prayer is powerful. 23:07 It is. It is. 23:08 Every prayer gets an answer when we put our heart there. 23:13 Amen. 23:14 One of the things I think 23:16 you're alluding to all three of you 23:17 in your own way the idea that 23:19 we tend to not press through in our prayers. 23:23 You know, we stop short of the goal. 23:26 We pray maybe couple of days 23:27 and then we're on to something else. 23:29 And we don't stay on this 23:31 and I think one of the focuses 23:33 of this particular initiative is that once you get there, 23:36 you stay there. 23:38 You know, you stay with that name 23:40 because God wants to bless. 23:41 He wants to do something 23:42 but He just needs our fervency and our consistency, Ruthie. 23:45 Well, I would just like to say that 23:47 there are some resources and here's one. 23:51 You can go to PrayOneMillion.org. 23:54 And there are under resources you will find this handout. 23:59 You can print it out for yourself 24:00 or you can print it out for your church. 24:03 But it says Pray One Million praying for one person at least 24:07 one minute everyday and it explains the initiative. 24:12 And then on the back this is an important part of it 24:16 because it says this is my covenant with God. 24:19 And you write in the name 24:21 of the person that you're praying for 24:23 and then you could sign your name 24:27 and you put in your Bible. 24:29 This is a wonderful reminder. 24:31 This person is very special to God. 24:35 This is not just a name. 24:36 This is a person that God, that Christ died for. 24:39 Yes. Yes. 24:40 And that God loves. 24:42 So these resources and then there's one more 24:45 children are getting into this too, C.A. 24:48 Praise the Lord. 24:49 Children are getting into this. 24:50 And here is the one that I would show you for, 24:57 Dwight, I'm moving it around too much. 24:59 But here's a darling little Asian boy 25:02 with his finger up 25:03 and he's saying Pray One Million 25:05 and children are doing this too. 25:07 And then on the back of their card 25:09 it just says because I love Jesus, 25:12 I'm praying for so and so. 25:14 And sometimes they write mommy 25:15 or whoever they want to pray for. 25:18 But you know God hears these prayers of these children 25:21 and it's a wonderful habit for them to get into. 25:24 Yes. Yes. 25:25 So I just encourage you go to PrayOneMillion.org 25:30 and there are two, three videos. 25:35 One of Ron Halvorsen, one that has Elder Dan Jackson 25:40 and Dwight Nelson, 25:41 Freddie Russell, Elder Ricardo Graham 25:44 and then some students at Southern. 25:48 The other one has and Peter Kulakov 25:52 talking about how some of the communist party leaders 25:56 became conference presidents and leaders in the church, 26:00 so all because of prayer. 26:02 So I just encourage you go to that website. 26:06 I love this, Ruthie, Don, Pastor Pavel. 26:09 I want to intensify my intersession 26:11 for one person for now 26:13 asking God to make an eternal difference 26:16 in their life. 26:17 And you're not even specifying 26:18 what an eternal difference means 26:20 relationship, means salvation. 26:23 I will pray at least one minute 26:25 everyday for and you can sign the name. 26:28 I will share the Pray One Million invitation 26:30 with everyone I can and then you sign it. 26:33 So you are covenanting with God 26:35 to take that name to God each and everyday. 26:39 And you've got it there in your Bible 26:41 and I like this a lot. 26:43 Now this-- this banner, this vertical banner behind us 26:48 is one that you'll see these everywhere. 26:53 There's one in every state. 26:55 Many of the churches have them and it's a reminder, 26:59 they like to put them on the platform in a church 27:02 because it's a reminder when people come into church 27:05 oh, yes, I'm part of that. 27:06 I'm part of that initiative. 27:09 So well done, they were made for us 27:12 by a group in North Carolina and they're being used. 27:16 I need to emphasize or have you emphasize 27:18 because we are moving towards a general conference. 27:21 This is not something that's quinquennially driven. 27:25 This is something that we want to go on and on and on and on. 27:27 Correct? 27:28 God know we're reading the Bible through 27:30 when we finish that GC 27:31 and we're doing other things but this is not that. 27:33 This is something that you want to start 27:34 and just keep on going until the Lord comes. 27:37 And you know when you develop a habit. 27:39 Yes. 27:40 And the Holy Spirit is in it. He will take us to new levels. 27:44 Yes. 27:45 And I believe He'll give us a heart 27:48 for the people we're praying for. 27:50 And then he'll lay another one on your heart. 27:52 And show you ways to love them. 27:54 Show you ways to be a Johnny Barnes 27:57 to really care, to really care about people. 28:00 Yeah, that is wonderful. 28:02 Now we have, is it-- is this video 28:04 from our NAD president 28:05 who we're getting ready to see? 28:09 Well, we have one with him, yes. 28:12 All righty. 28:13 Let's roll that just now 'cause he is weighing in 28:16 and this initiative is coming not only from the top down 28:21 but from the bottom up and everybody in between. 28:24 So Dan Jackson has a little to say on this subject. 28:27 Let's look at that video just now. 28:30 We have decided in a very specific way 28:34 to adopt and to embrace the idea of Pray One Million 28:38 that means, if you and I select someone we will pray 28:42 for one minute each day. 28:44 That over every four month period 28:46 between now and General Conference, 28:50 we would pray one million hours. 28:54 Can you imagine it every single day 28:56 all of us praying for one person 28:58 that God has deposited upon our hearts 29:00 for their salvation, for their kids, 29:02 for their families whatever he is 29:04 when brought in heaven. 29:06 Obviously is biblical because as Jesus said to Peter, 29:09 I'm praying for you. 29:11 It's amazing what happens when we lay people 29:13 before the very throne room of God. 29:16 It is high time that we devote time 29:19 concentrated prayer time 29:21 in petitioning God to help us fulfill the mission 29:23 He's entrusted to us. 29:25 A mission that has to began with praying. 29:27 Now look, we all know 29:29 prayer is not the only piece in our strategy, 29:31 but it's the only first piece that can move the arm of heaven 29:34 to intervene on a continent and a society so lost 29:38 and so desperately in need of Christ. 29:41 It's about prayer and about a big God 29:44 who loves to hear the prayers of His people. 29:47 He saves our prayers in golden bowls in heaven. 29:51 They're valuable to Him. 29:53 And He says call to Me, I will answer. 29:56 And I'll show you great and mighty things. 29:58 We can join in Christ who is interceding. 30:01 What an amazing thought. 30:04 And like a single grain of sand 30:06 the Lord has a man, woman, boy or girl 30:10 that He will have you to pray for, 30:12 one among the millions. 30:15 And if you will join me in praying one minute a day 30:19 for the one person God has laid on your heart. 30:23 Together we can pray a million hours 30:26 that will stretch into eternity. 30:29 Together with Abraham, 30:30 we can experience the fulfillment 30:32 of God's stars and sand promise. 30:37 As we worship our Creator around the see of glass 30:41 with the great multitude that no man can number. 30:45 But it all starts with one. 30:48 Who's the one 30:50 that God is calling you to bless through the prayer. 30:54 We're wondering what would happen 30:55 if we could get people to pray for a minute 30:58 for one person, Pray One Million. 31:01 If we could do that, we believe that 31:02 we would assail heaven's door house 31:05 in a way that God could not ignore. 31:07 As Seventh-day Adventists in North America, 31:09 let's join our forces and unite our prayers 31:11 over what we can all agree on, 31:14 Calvary's passion to seek and save the lost 31:16 because surely the sound of united prayer 31:20 is the clamor God's been waiting for. 31:23 The time has come rather that we rise above 31:29 that we reach out the higher ground 31:31 that while we have our conversations 31:32 we do not loose sight 31:35 of what God really wants us to be focusing on. 31:39 I want to urge you to participate with me 31:44 in the Pray One Million initiative. 31:46 I know God will bless us 31:48 and I know God will bless His church 31:50 and may God bless our division 31:54 and our world church. 31:56 Thank you. 31:58 And to that we say amen. 32:00 While we were listening to that Don remark 32:05 this idea about praying for someone 32:06 that maybe you've had-- 32:07 you've crossed swords with it sometime in the past. 32:10 Maybe there's some hard feelings 32:11 and I actually believe that 32:12 if you're taking someone's name to the Lord everyday, 32:15 first of all, your heart is gonna be made lighter. 32:18 Your spiritual life is gonna be made better. 32:20 And then God will work on that other person 32:23 and answer to your prayer. 32:24 Right. Absolutely. 32:25 Yeah. 32:26 We've seen that so many times, absolutely. 32:29 Yeah, praise God. 32:30 Pastor Pavel, you've got some more stories man, 32:33 and we love to hear good stories 32:34 because this prayer thing is no-- it works. 32:37 This is a real thing that really works. 32:39 And the power of God has seen when we concentrate 32:42 and focus on prayer. 32:43 So you see it's not just that we pray for somebody else 32:47 but when you do that, God can work on us, 32:50 can work on that person, 32:52 can work on our families in our churches 32:54 and more people do this, 32:56 the more the revealing of the spirit 32:58 we can see in the churches. 32:59 And He doesn't, he is not limited to one. 33:02 I mean at least one but we can pray 33:03 for two or three or five but at least start with one. 33:08 For instance there was a lady in one of my districts. 33:12 Again I'm not gonna give details where. 33:14 And she told me, pastor, I've been praying for my son 33:17 and God doesn't answer. 33:18 And I told, I said, God answers every prayer, 33:22 but we need to keep praying, laboring over it. 33:25 Well, she did. 33:26 Poor lady, she prayed 40 years for her son 33:29 and to just go to the answer her prayer she passed away. 33:34 He came to the funeral 33:36 and he said I want to see my mom, 33:38 give me Bible studies, he got baptized. 33:41 He's involved in the church. 33:42 He's the head elder in a new plant church. 33:45 Prayer works. Yes, it does. 33:46 We don't need to see the answer 33:48 to believe that God does answer. 33:50 And I'm gonna give it a different story that 33:53 it's a little funny in one district 33:56 over back in Romania, 33:58 another pastor came to do evangelism there 34:01 and there were two people that-- 34:04 my wife and I just talked about them last night. 34:07 They were I don't know how to put it in a kind way 34:13 very slow. 34:14 I don't know how to say it but-- 34:19 some other people made fun of them 34:20 because they're not the brightest possible 34:24 and they came to participate in evangelism 34:27 and they said what can we do? 34:28 And the evangelist and myself look to each other and we said 34:32 we don't want them to get involved, 34:33 they will make a mess. 34:35 And we said you just pray. 34:38 Would you believe they didn't get it 34:39 what it means to pray so they thought 34:42 we do evangelism in the village in the town. 34:44 Seven thousand people 34:45 they want us to pray for 7,000 people, 34:47 where should we pray for them? 34:48 Nobody is in the church. Let's go to their homes. 34:51 They went from home to home 34:53 and they prayed in the three months 34:55 preparation for evangelism in each family, 34:58 per family what do you want us to pray for? 35:00 My cow is dying. They pray for the cow. 35:02 Sicken family, my wife has cancer, 35:04 they pray for the wife, her family. 35:06 After about two months they came back 35:08 we prayed for everybody what should we do? 35:10 And do to each other pray again. 35:13 They started all over again, when we had evangelism 35:16 the whole church brought two people 35:18 and the two men brought 44. 35:20 Wow. Wow. 35:22 Prayer is powerful. 35:24 Didn't you like that story? 35:25 It's not that they give something. 35:27 They prayed for people. 35:30 Yes. 35:31 Yeah, and answered and answered big time. 35:35 And God is able to do that. 35:36 I remember baptizing a fellow, 35:38 his wife had prayed for him for 34 years. 35:40 And she was so excited true story in New York 35:43 that in her joy she broke her ankle 35:47 because she was just so happy 35:48 as we brought him up out of the pool. 35:50 And we're outside the tent, the ground is uneven, you know, 35:52 and she hit a rock and just roll that ankle 35:54 and certainly pulled a ligament. 35:56 In her joy she broke an ankle. There's something about that. 35:59 In her joy she broke her ankle, yeah. 36:02 About 34 years of prayer and he finally came through 36:05 and I guess those 34 years 36:07 at that moment seem like a minute 36:09 because he was in the faith-- 36:11 God's timing. Yes. 36:12 Yes. Yes, very much so. 36:16 If there are someone that you've been praying for, 36:19 Ruthie what would you give an advice to sticking to it? 36:24 And the power of sticking to it 36:25 and the benefit of sticking to it? 36:27 Well, you know, all through scripture 36:30 God talks about to hold on and never give up. 36:35 In fact Moses said, hold God fast. 36:39 And so I think sometimes we have to go to the Lord 36:42 and say Lord don't let me give up. 36:45 Don't let me give up because you can do anything. 36:48 Another thing that is an encouragement to me 36:51 is to go to the places in scripture 36:54 that were totally impossible. 36:57 Just totally impossible, 36:58 if God doesn't come through, you splat. 37:01 Yes. 37:03 Very true. 37:04 You see that, do you? Yes, yes. 37:06 And like Joshua, in fact, he knew that, 37:08 he had these three huge kingdoms 37:11 coming down on his little dinky kingdom. 37:13 And he said, Lord, if you don't do this 37:16 it's wipe out for us 37:18 and the Red Sea 37:21 that's the total impossibility. 37:23 And but the more we go to these stories in scripture 37:27 where God took an impossible situation 37:31 and came through. 37:33 And we can say with Charles Spurgeon 37:36 in 2 Samuel 7:25, 37:40 Spurgeon said I would go to that text and I would say, 37:43 God, do what you said you would do. 37:46 Do what you said you would do. 37:47 Yes. 37:48 And so I think it really helps 37:50 to say God help me not to give up 37:53 and do what you said you would do. 37:56 I'm just and Martin Luther used to say 37:59 I'm weak, I'm needy, I'm helpless, 38:02 I'm unworthy, but I'm your child. 38:04 Praise God. 38:06 So I think that would keep us from giving up. 38:08 That's right, Ruthie, 38:09 and, Pavel, you've got the companion piece to that. 38:12 The idea that we need to stay and pray the promise 38:16 and not for what we see. 38:18 Kind of walk us through that? 38:20 So many times our faith 38:22 and our prayers depend on answers 38:24 instead of depending on relationship. 38:27 If we don't see an instant answer, 38:29 we lose faith and stop praying. 38:31 Instead of looking for an answer, 38:33 we need to make it a habit a way of life, 38:35 look for God and trust not in what you see 38:38 but trust in His promises. 38:39 Go back and back to His promises, 38:42 repeat them back to the Lord and stick with it 38:44 because as you stick with it, 38:46 it's gonna work with those people, 38:47 it's gonna work with you. 38:49 And then eventually when you see the answer 38:51 because we don't see the big picture but God does. 38:53 He wants us to continue to pray when the answer finally comes 38:58 it's gonna do something to our faith 39:00 and this what I learned. 39:01 If we shared that story like I get people who did it 39:05 to sharing in front of the church. 39:06 It is contagious. The others want to do it. 39:09 It spreads like fire. 39:11 And soon enough you get everybody praying 39:13 and then there are stories. 39:16 Yeah. Yeah. 39:17 That's good. 39:18 That is important because we tend to focus on result. 39:23 You put fire under kettle, that water will boil 39:25 and if it doesn't boil something is wrong. 39:28 So you pray the promise that God will hear 39:31 and God will answer even though you may not see it 39:34 and that will keep your prayers coming 39:36 because you're not necessarily looking for 39:38 an answer right then 39:39 because you know God is going to work 39:40 because He said I will work. 39:42 If you do this, I will do this. 39:43 If you do that, He's gonna do that 39:45 whether you see it now or not. 39:47 And you know, C.A. 39:48 I really liked what Pavel just said about a relationship. 39:52 Yes, yes. 39:53 I really believe that God wants us to go to Him 39:56 and say God You said, You said this. 40:00 You know, Corrie ten Boom, 40:02 I tell people she was my friend. 40:03 I never really met her in person 40:06 but we did have many phone conversations 40:08 when she was in this country. 40:10 And I had the privilege of praying with her 40:12 on the phone. 40:13 But she used to hold her Bible up like this 40:16 to the Lord when she was praying. 40:18 She said, Lord, here it is read it for yourself. 40:23 See that's a relationship. 40:25 It is a relationship. 40:26 And Charles Spurgeon said, we mentioned this earlier 40:32 Samuel is saying to the Lord, do as you have said. 40:37 So let Your name be magnified. 40:39 Yes. 40:40 And God wants us to talk to him like that. 40:43 We have to keep holding on and don't give him a timeline 40:48 because His timing is always best. 40:50 Yes. 40:51 But to hold on 40:53 and take these promises to Him. 40:55 I don't think the Lord minds us reminding Him of the promises 40:58 He made to us 40:59 because He is faithful and truth. 41:01 So what we've done is add some additional prayers 41:06 to our little basket here. 41:09 First, Lord, 41:10 who should I pray about or what should I pray about? 41:13 Then once you start Lord, keep me praying 41:16 even though I don't see an answer, 41:18 help me to trust that You're God who answers prayer 41:20 because You said You are. 41:22 And don't let me fatigue, so there are other prayers 41:25 that go right along with our focused prayer 41:28 because we are human. 41:30 And sometimes Lord, I don't see it 41:31 but just don't let me go with what my eyes see. 41:34 Let me go with this relationship with you. 41:37 I think that's a integral part of this whole process. 41:40 Pavel, any other miracles or answers to prayer? 41:43 Well, there are many but I'd like to mention one. 41:49 There was a certain lady that 41:51 didn't come much to church anymore 41:53 and she heard some things are happening 41:55 in some church in some place. 41:57 And she came but she came late after church started 42:02 and she left early before church would end 42:04 probably trying to avoid too much talk. 42:07 Her hair was funny colored and rings and so on. 42:11 And I saw her leaving so I let the saints 42:15 sing the closing hymn alone 42:17 and they ran after her 42:18 and she is at the car opening the door. 42:20 And I politely hold the door close 42:23 I said hold on a second, let me just introduce myself. 42:26 I know you are the pastor I said yeah, obviously 42:29 but who are you? 42:30 And she told me her name and I said I'm glad you came. 42:34 Well, I don't believe in church or in God. 42:36 I said then why are you here? 42:38 And she says uh, she was trying to freak out answer. 42:42 I did try-- I did try. 42:44 I said why did you try? 42:45 Well, I just wanted to see 42:47 if God would finally answer my prayers. 42:50 And I said what have you been praying for? 42:52 Said well, I'm trying to give up drugs 42:56 and I said have you managed? 42:58 Did you get victory? 42:59 No, God doesn't answer prayers. 43:01 I said oh, God does answer prayers 43:03 but you not focus on drugs, you should focus on Christ. 43:06 And she said, how do you do that? 43:09 I said listen 43:10 God doesn't need you and me to pray for somebody else. 43:14 Doesn't need you and me to preach 43:16 but that would do good to you. 43:17 Yes. 43:18 And so this is the way God ordained 43:20 for you and me to grow. 43:22 Why don't you pray for somebody who is struggling with drugs? 43:25 And go and give them a Bible study 43:27 and let God work on you and you work on others. 43:29 Stop focusing on you. 43:31 That's-- that's powerful. 43:32 And she said, I cannot give a Bible study. 43:35 I said I'm not asking you to teach, 43:37 I'm asking you to pray for somebody. 43:40 And this is the Bible study you go knocking the door 43:43 you say this is the Bible study, 43:45 I'm unable to teach but I'll pray for you. 43:48 And you go oh, I can do that. 43:49 Yeah. 43:51 She said, and are you sure that I'm gonna give up drugs? 43:53 I said well, I'm sure that when you start doing it 43:56 God is gonna start working on it. 43:58 So I said why don't you try? 44:01 She did. 44:02 She took the Bible study the address and she left 44:06 and she called me just about half an hour later 44:08 angry I will never come again. 44:11 I will never pray again. I will never talk to you again. 44:14 I will never-- just calm down tell me what happened? 44:17 Well, God doesn't consider me worthy to pray for somebody 44:20 or give a Bible study why? 44:22 Because they're not at home I said okay what happened? 44:26 Well, it's an apartment building 44:28 and there is a intercom and you need to call 44:31 and somebody has to buzz the door open 44:33 I did called and nobody answered. 44:35 I said did you pray for them? 44:38 She said well, when I left-- I said well, 44:41 how long did it take you to pray for them? 44:44 I said well, I don't know 15 seconds. 44:47 I said I want you to go in the car 44:49 and pray for them 44:51 and ask the Lord to give you an opportunity 44:53 to teach somebody. 44:55 She said how long should I pray 44:57 and I said to her until you get an answer. 44:59 All right. 45:00 And she said, how long is that? 45:02 I said, do you want me to say it in Romanian, 45:04 if you don't understand English until you get an answer. 45:08 She said, put in time, one hour. 45:10 I said, no, you seem you don't get me, 45:13 until you get an answer. 45:16 So well, I cannot pray so long. 45:19 I said, do you want to give up drugs? 45:21 Said well, I do. 45:22 Then you pray until you get an answer. 45:23 But you don't pray for you, you pray for those people. 45:25 Yes. 45:26 And she was like 45:28 what if I have to pray a long time? 45:31 I said this is the covenant. 45:32 You'll get in your car and pray until you get an answer. 45:36 I'm not gonna go home, it's Saturday, it's 1:30. 45:38 I'm gonna go in my office, 45:40 and I'm gonna pray until you get an answer. 45:44 So I will pray with you until you get an answer. 45:48 And if takes the whole night I don't go home tonight. 45:50 We pray until you get an answer. 45:52 And I said, if you have to get retire in that car 45:54 that's where you stay until you get an answer. 45:56 Wow. 45:57 She called me at 4:30. 45:59 In the morning? 46:00 No, no, same like three later. 46:02 Same afternoon. Okay. 46:03 She was like all over, I said, calm down, 46:06 pastor, you will not believe what I just... 46:08 just slow down tell me story. 46:10 I prayed and God will not answer, 46:13 so I got angry and I stopped praying 46:15 and I opened my eyes and I said, 46:17 why don't you let me give a Bible study 46:20 and pray for somebody. 46:22 I said, now you're praying. 46:23 She said, what do you mean? 46:24 I said, well, when you said the poetry that was no prayer, 46:27 when you open your heart to God, as to a friend... 46:29 Yes. 46:30 That was prayer 46:31 and God can handle your emotions 46:33 as along as you are honest. 46:35 And I said, as we handle our kids 46:37 when they are emotional 46:38 and we love them like crazy when they are honest with us. 46:41 We love them the other time too but we prefer honesty 46:44 and so I said, now you're praying 46:46 tell me what is next? 46:47 Well, when I opened my eyes and I said, 46:49 why don't you let me give a Bible study 46:51 and pray for somebody else? 46:53 Somebody came to get the trash to the trash container. 46:56 So I said, sorry, Lord, I got to go. 46:59 And she runs and she says, 47:01 would you let me go to apartment number 14 47:03 because I'm supposed to give them a Bible study 47:05 and say a prayer for them. 47:07 The guy says, no, if they are not home, 47:09 I cannot let you in, but I'm angry with you. 47:12 I said, you don't even know me. 47:13 Well, I asked for a Bible study and nobody came, 47:17 I asked for prayer and nobody came. 47:19 She said, no problem 47:21 I'm gonna give you this Bible study and prayer 47:23 and I go and get the new one for apartment 14. 47:26 So he says, come in, no, no, no I don't know. 47:30 She told me that they just have a prayer and go, 47:32 I cannot come in. 47:33 he took her by in, come in. 47:36 she got in, he says, sit down. 47:38 She sat down, and he left the apartment 47:42 and left her alone in his apartment. 47:43 He was a big guy, like you know, Rambo or something 47:47 and she says, pastor, 47:49 I started to pray for my safety. 47:52 Now he comes back with several other neighbors, 47:55 pony tailed, leather jacket, skeleton heads on their back, 47:59 motor cycle people and so on you know, 48:02 and he says, folks we're praying to give up drugs 48:05 and we're praying that God will send 48:06 somebody to help us, 48:07 and God answered our prayers, he sent an angel, 48:10 I want you to sit down and listen to her. 48:13 And she said, folks, I'm no angel, 48:16 I'm struggling too, 48:18 but this is the Bible study, you can watch it, 48:20 I just... I'm supposed to have a prayer for you. 48:23 I said, pastor, it touched my life, 48:26 it changed my life 48:28 to give this end of the story, I make it short 48:31 she never missed church since. 48:34 And God is working through her. 48:35 Not just in her but through her. 48:37 Through her, yes. Prayer is powerful. 48:41 Amen. Yes. 48:42 Amen. I love that story. 48:43 Yeah, that is a fabulous story, 48:46 the idea that the default setting 48:50 on praying for others is the-- 48:53 and I use a very common word kickback 48:55 that God gives you when you focus on someone else. 48:58 First of all you're strengthening 48:59 your relationship with God 49:01 and since that pipeline is expanded, 49:04 enlarged and strengthened, 49:06 more is gonna come back to you, it's not just a one way street. 49:09 You get used and God does things 49:14 through you and to you. 49:16 And you-- it's unavoidable, 49:18 it's a-- there's a reciprocity, dare I throw that word in, 49:22 when you pray for, that is a wonderful story. 49:24 God, you know, sorry, go ahead. 49:26 God did not call us to focus on sin, 49:28 we should hate him but God called us 49:30 to focus on Him and to focus on people around. 49:33 And then trust that He will do the work 49:35 because we cannot do it. 49:36 Yeah. We just need to pray. 49:38 And that's really what Pray One Million is all about. 49:40 Yes. 49:41 Hold on and pray for that person. 49:43 Yes, yes. Don? 49:44 So well, it's so easy to see prayer like 49:47 going through a drive in, 49:48 you just drive up and leave our order there 49:51 and assume that we're gonna get what we asked for. 49:53 Right. 49:54 But you know, the secret here 49:57 and Pavel has told a story so and it's been so power-- 50:01 has such powerful impact on me. 50:04 The secret here is for me to get on God's agenda 50:09 is not-- prayer is not getting my needs unpacked, 50:12 it's getting God's need unpacked 50:14 and in the process it changes me too. 50:17 Yes, yes. 50:18 You know, it's interesting to kneel 50:20 beside your bed at night and say, 50:22 God what's on your heart tonight? 50:25 What is the thing that causes you the most pain? 50:28 How can I be of help to you? 50:30 And in the process he changes us too. 50:32 Yes, yes. 50:33 I have a saying, it is safer to let God take our problems 50:39 and we take care of His work, 50:41 than ourselves to take care of our problems. 50:43 Yeah, true, yeah, very true. 50:45 I love it. Very, very true. 50:47 And you know when we pray this way, 50:50 the goal of life is not to revive at the end safely, 50:55 but that God will make us dangerous. 50:58 Oh, I like that. Indeed. 51:00 And when you are putting, 51:01 you are dangerous to the enemy's camp. 51:02 Yes, yes, yes you are. 51:04 Yes you are. 51:05 Prayer is a means 51:07 but it is also an end in itself. 51:08 That's true. It's a worthy end. 51:10 Just the fact that you are talking to God 51:13 means that there's gonna be growth. 51:15 And then the person that you are bringing to God 51:16 is gonna be blessed 51:17 and you yourself will be likewise blessed. 51:20 Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful stories. 51:22 C.A., 51:23 there is no greater blessing than to bless. 51:25 We are always seeking a blessing 51:27 but that's the real blessing when you become a blessing. 51:30 Well, and God created us that way. 51:33 We were created to serve not to be served. 51:35 Yes, yes, yes, very true. 51:37 When we are serving that's when you find happiness, 51:41 joy, fulfillment 51:43 and it all is comes to us as an answer to prayer. 51:47 So then the most blessed blessing is to bless. 51:49 That's right. 51:50 And as such you will be blessed. 51:52 You got nowhere to get away from-- 51:53 It says that I will make you a blessing for all nations. 51:56 Yes. That's the blessing. 51:57 Yes, let's put that Robert if you will the-- on the screen 52:02 the contact information for the-- for the site as well, 52:04 PrayOneMillion.org 52:07 and then all of these resources that you mentioned, 52:09 Ruthie, before are available to us. 52:10 That's right. At no cost. 52:13 At no cost. Yeah. 52:14 Amen. I like that. 52:16 That's a blessing. 52:18 It surely is. 52:19 We're gonna go to our newsbreak just now 52:22 and then we'll be back with a closing thought 52:24 sort of put a little bow on this 52:25 because this is the wonderful project 52:27 and you will want to be involved in Pray One Million. 52:30 We'll be back in just a moment. |
Revised 2015-07-19