I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and
welcome to 3ABN Today,
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my name is CA Murray.
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Allow me once again to thank you
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for sharing
just a little of your
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no doubt busy day with us.
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So thank you for
your love, your prayers,
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and support of this ministry
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because we are
convinced and convicted
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that we could not do
what we are called to do
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without your partnership.
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So when we say, "Thank you,"
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we mean it from the
bottom of our hearts
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because it is together
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that we lift up the mighty
and matchless name of Jesus.
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So we do thank you.
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I'm excited today
because of our program,
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because of my
guests or better said,
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"family members",
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and because of
the subject matter
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that we are trying to tackle
to opine on this very day.
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I think we
should call this program
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one in a series of programs
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that deal with
pragmatic Christianity.
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You've got systematic
theology, you've got doctrines,
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those kinds of
things, you've got prophecy,
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all are very, very important.
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But what is
equally as important is
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how do we walk with Jesus
each and every day of our lives.
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How do we make decisions,
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how do we prosecute our lives...
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the time that God has given us,
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how do we make wise decisions
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and how do we determine
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whether a given course
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that we want to
pursue is given to us
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by God or something
that is in our own heart.
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Is that rumbling that we
feel in the pit of our stomach
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the voice of God or is it pizza
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that we ate a
little late last night,
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that kind of thing.
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How do we
determine the voice of God?
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That's the subject
matter we want to wrestle
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with this very
day on this program.
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How do you know
when it's God leading?
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How do you know
when God is telling you
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to do a certain thing?
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How do you
amplify the voice of God
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and sort of turn down the volume
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on all of those
other false voices
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which may just as insistent
and sometimes just as loud?
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To help us wade through
this very important chapter,
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we have Jill Morikone.
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Jill, good to have you here.
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Thank you so much, Pastor.
It's a privilege to be here.
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Administrative
Assistant to the president,
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good to have you here.
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Miss Mollie Steenson,
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General Manager of 3ABN
and Vice President of 3ABN.
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Always a joy to be here.
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And the pastor of
the Marion district,
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Pastor Ferguson, good
to have you here, man.
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Great to be here.
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He is becoming a familiar
and much welcomed face on 3ABN.
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It's good to have you here.
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He brings much wisdom
and a nice pastoral slant
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to the things that we're
going to talk about, today.
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Wanna start off
with a little something
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then go to music
and then sort of loosen
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and let you go
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because we're talking about
identifying the voice of God.
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There are times in your life
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when some things
are very obvious.
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There are other times
when you want to do something
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and you really need to
know what the Lord is saying.
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I give an example: Years
ago before I married Irma,
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she took me down
to meet her parents.
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Her family,
they're all good swimmers
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including her dad was in his 80s
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I think at the time,
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he used to get on the
high cliffs and dive off.
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They like to swim in
rivers as opposed to the ocean,
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lot of ocean, but they
like fast flowing rivers.
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And her dad would, in his socks,
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climb on a high
mountain and dive in just water.
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I am not a swimmer
at all. I don't swim.
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Irma's family are all swimmers.
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They decided to
take a rubber raft
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and go upstream and
white water raft down.
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And, you know, when
you're dating someone
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you try to impress them.
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Of course.
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But they were saying, "Well,
let's go with us," you know,
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and I was not
impressed to do that.
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You know, I said,
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"Impression be hanged,
I'm not going in that raft."
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They said, "Come
on, you're chickening,"
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that kind of thing.
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I said, "I'll wait
for you to come back."
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So they grabbed
this big inner tube
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and they took it over the
heads and they walked upstream.
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Waited 15 minutes, 20
minutes, 25 minutes an hour,
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an hour and 10,
nobody is coming down.
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Finally I see them
coming down walking,
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no raft, Irma's leg is bleeding,
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my sister-in-law's
glasses are broken,
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my brother-in-law is bleeding.
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And I said, "What happened?"
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They said, "The
raft flipped over
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and we almost drowned."
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Now, they're all good
swimmers, they almost drowned.
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I, a non-swimmer,
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we wouldn't be here
having this conversation today.
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Thank you, Jesus, you
did not get in the raft.
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Right.
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So, to me that was
not a big handwriting
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on the wall kind of thing.
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Dangerous, I don't
swim, why would I do that?
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So that was not, that was
not a tough decision for me,
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but the truth is there are times
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when you want to
know the will of God.
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Because you've got something
the Lord is asking you to do,
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you may be wading out
into unfamiliar territory,
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unfamiliar waters,
and you need to know
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what God's will
is for your life,
00:05:47.44\00:05:49.21
like, should I marry her?
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Should I marry him?
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Should I move and take this job?
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There are
certain kinds of things
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you just need to
know the will of God.
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And that's what we want to
sort of wrestle with today.
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How do we
identify the voice of God
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in and among all
of these other voices
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which are vying
for our attention.
00:06:07.00\00:06:09.23
So we want to wrestle with that.
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Before we sort of
loosen and let you go,
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we're gonna
call upon Tim Parton,
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a good friend of this ministry,
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brother in Christ,
member of the 3ABN family.
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He is gonna be doing a song
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that I've tried
to sing many times
00:06:21.68\00:06:23.68
and every time I
get about two lines,
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and it makes me cry.
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It's just a wonderful,
wonderful, spiritual song,
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"God's Been Good."
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Lately I've been looking
back along this winding road
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To the old familiar markers
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Of the mercies that I have known
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I know it may sound simple
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But it's more than a cliche
00:07:03.39\00:07:07.46
For there's no
better way to tell you
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Than to say
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God's been good
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In my life
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And I feel blessed
beyond my wildest dreams
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When I go to sleep each night
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And though I've had
my share of hard times
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I wouldn't
change them if I could
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For through it all,
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God's been good
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The times replay, and I can see
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That I've cried
some bitter tears
00:08:02.18\00:08:05.91
But I've felt His arms around me
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As I've faced my greatest fears
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You see, I've had
more gains than losses
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And I've known
more joy than hurt
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As His grace rolled down upon me
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So undeserved
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For God's been good in my life
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And I feel blessed
beyond my wildest dreams
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When I go to sleep each night
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And though I've had
my share of hard times
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I wouldn't
change them if I could
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For through it all,
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God's been good
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For you see God
has been my Father,
00:09:04.37\00:09:08.24
My Savior, and my Friend
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And His love was my beginning
and His love will be my end
00:09:11.71\00:09:19.35
Oh, I could spend forever
trying to tell you everything
00:09:19.39\00:09:27.36
He is But the best way
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That I can say it is simply this
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God's been good
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In my life
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And I feel so blessed
beyond my wildest dreams
00:09:53.79\00:10:00.20
When I go to sleep each night
00:10:00.23\00:10:03.73
And though I've had
my share of hard times
00:10:03.77\00:10:09.17
I wouldn't
change them if I could
00:10:09.20\00:10:13.38
For through it all
00:10:13.41\00:10:19.21
God's been good
00:10:22.28\00:10:30.26
Amen. What a beautiful song.
00:10:48.21\00:10:50.38
So beautifully ministered by
Tim Parton, "God's been good".
00:10:50.41\00:10:55.08
We are talking about
00:10:55.12\00:10:56.45
a dealing with
identifying the voice of God.
00:10:56.48\00:10:59.12
Jill Morikone, Mollie
Steenson, Pastor Tom Ferguson,
00:10:59.15\00:11:01.92
good to have you all here.
00:11:01.96\00:11:03.39
I want to set this up
before I loose you by saying,
00:11:03.43\00:11:06.93
in our lives,
00:11:06.96\00:11:09.36
when you're trying
to make a decision,
00:11:09.40\00:11:10.83
particularly when
you're trying to do something
00:11:10.87\00:11:12.20
for the Lord...
00:11:12.23\00:11:16.74
You've got the
natural testing of the Lord,
00:11:16.77\00:11:19.34
the Lord allows tests
to come into our lives,
00:11:19.37\00:11:22.71
one to determine
for us our own sincerity
00:11:22.74\00:11:27.35
because He knows,
00:11:27.38\00:11:29.32
then you've got
the natural inertia
00:11:29.35\00:11:31.59
that comes any time
you're trying to do something
00:11:31.62\00:11:33.29
for the Lord.
00:11:33.32\00:11:34.66
You know, you just,
your sinful condition
00:11:34.69\00:11:36.02
will try to hold you back.
00:11:36.06\00:11:38.13
Then you've got active
resistance by the devil.
00:11:38.16\00:11:42.53
Then you've got times
when the Lord is saying,
00:11:42.56\00:11:44.87
"No, this is not the way."
00:11:44.90\00:11:47.30
So you've got a
minimum of four realities
00:11:47.34\00:11:51.21
that you've got to
work your way through.
00:11:51.24\00:11:54.21
Is this just the
natural resistance that comes
00:11:54.24\00:11:58.45
when I'm trying to do
something for the Lord
00:11:58.48\00:12:00.25
or is it just the
Lord closing a door?
00:12:00.28\00:12:02.08
Is this a flat no or is
this just demonic resistance?
00:12:02.12\00:12:07.06
So how do you wade your
way through on being opposed,
00:12:07.09\00:12:10.73
is it me, is it the
devil, is it the Lord,
00:12:10.76\00:12:13.40
is it my own inertia?
00:12:13.43\00:12:15.50
Which is behind
door number four?
00:12:15.53\00:12:18.47
Which is the real one?
00:12:18.50\00:12:20.10
And we need to know that
00:12:20.14\00:12:21.47
because we want to
do the will of God.
00:12:21.50\00:12:22.84
So how do you
determine the voice of God?
00:12:22.87\00:12:24.77
I've got some things here,
00:12:24.81\00:12:26.14
but I wanna, sort of, let you go
00:12:26.17\00:12:27.51
and then I will sort of
chime in this a little bit.
00:12:27.54\00:12:28.88
Who wants to take it off?
00:12:28.91\00:12:30.25
You know, in my own experience
00:12:30.28\00:12:31.61
I was just
thinking it seems like
00:12:31.65\00:12:33.68
when Satan comes, this
is something that helps me
00:12:33.72\00:12:37.05
when I try to make a decision
or when I'm facing something,
00:12:37.09\00:12:40.72
Satan's voice or
voices, you know,
00:12:40.76\00:12:43.63
he uses other people too
to push back against that.
00:12:43.66\00:12:47.20
His voice would always be
one of judgment, condemnation,
00:12:47.23\00:12:52.80
shame while the voice of Jesus
is the voice of encouragement,
00:12:52.83\00:12:58.87
hope, and conviction.
00:12:58.91\00:13:00.71
The Holy Spirit
does bring conviction
00:13:00.74\00:13:02.31
to our heart and to our life.
00:13:02.34\00:13:03.81
So to me in my own experience
'cause I have faced that,
00:13:03.85\00:13:06.72
"Okay, is this something
should I not be going here
00:13:06.75\00:13:09.28
because I don't
feel good about this.
00:13:09.32\00:13:11.15
Is this...
00:13:11.19\00:13:12.52
Or is that Satan just
trying to bring discouragement?"
00:13:12.55\00:13:16.22
And I think Satan
always brings discouragement.
00:13:16.26\00:13:18.69
Satan always wants you
to feel hopeless, like,
00:13:18.73\00:13:21.23
"Why do you try?
00:13:21.26\00:13:22.60
You'll never be good at that.
00:13:22.63\00:13:23.97
You know, you can't do that."
00:13:24.00\00:13:25.77
Where God says, "You
are my child, I love you.
00:13:25.80\00:13:30.97
I have a future
and a hope for you."
00:13:31.01\00:13:32.71
So I think when
I'm facing things,
00:13:32.74\00:13:34.74
if I'm feeling discouraged
00:13:34.78\00:13:36.75
always know the devil's in that.
00:13:36.78\00:13:39.88
I like that.
00:13:39.91\00:13:41.25
We have a
statement by Ellen White,
00:13:41.28\00:13:42.95
I'm bringing it off
the top where she says,
00:13:42.98\00:13:45.22
"The Lord never
sends discouragement.
00:13:45.25\00:13:47.29
That is not a tool or
weapon in His arsenal.
00:13:47.32\00:13:50.03
Discouragement
always comes from Satan.
00:13:50.06\00:13:52.79
There is enough in the
world to be discouraged about
00:13:52.83\00:13:55.23
without the Lord
sending you discouragement."
00:13:55.26\00:13:56.83
So if you're,
nobody knows the trouble
00:13:56.87\00:13:58.60
I've seen as, Mollie,
00:13:58.63\00:13:59.97
I'm gonna say, I was just
gonna sit down and eat worms,
00:14:00.00\00:14:01.54
that's not from the Lord.
00:14:01.57\00:14:02.90
That's not from the Lord.
He doesn't send discouragement.
00:14:02.94\00:14:04.97
He will correct
you, He will chastise you
00:14:05.01\00:14:06.91
but He will not discourage you.
00:14:06.94\00:14:08.28
He's not designed to do
that, that comes from the enemy.
00:14:08.31\00:14:10.71
So I think that's
one good rule book
00:14:10.75\00:14:13.35
that we can put down.
00:14:13.38\00:14:14.72
If it's a discouraging thought,
00:14:14.75\00:14:16.25
if it's, "I can't do
it, it's not about me.
00:14:16.28\00:14:19.02
I'm never gonna succeed,"
that's not from the Lord
00:14:19.05\00:14:21.62
because He
doesn't work that way.
00:14:21.66\00:14:23.32
It's not in His arsenal.
00:14:23.36\00:14:24.69
Well said, Mollie?
00:14:24.73\00:14:26.06
Well, I was thinking, I
remember when early Christian
00:14:26.09\00:14:29.56
and people would say,
00:14:29.60\00:14:32.30
"The Lord told me this
or God spoke this to me"
00:14:32.33\00:14:35.47
and I kept trying to
hear the voice of God
00:14:35.50\00:14:38.07
and He never would speak to me,
00:14:38.11\00:14:39.77
I've never heard
the voice of God."
00:14:39.81\00:14:41.18
To this day I
have not heard of...
00:14:41.21\00:14:45.25
Audible. An audible, loud voice.
00:14:45.28\00:14:47.52
So here are three
little things that may help you
00:14:47.55\00:14:51.72
if you're looking to
get direction from the Lord.
00:14:51.75\00:14:55.82
First and foremost,
00:14:55.86\00:14:57.33
God's voice is always
consistent with His Word.
00:14:57.36\00:14:59.89
Amen.
00:14:59.93\00:15:01.26
He'll never tell
you to do anything
00:15:01.30\00:15:03.70
and then the scripture
tell you something different.
00:15:03.73\00:15:05.77
It's always
consistent with His word.
00:15:05.80\00:15:07.80
And here's the
thing that helped me,
00:15:07.84\00:15:10.47
His voice is quiet.
00:15:10.51\00:15:12.54
Yes.
00:15:12.57\00:15:13.91
He's not going to
speak loudly too, it would...
00:15:13.94\00:15:17.78
Oh, it would be so good
00:15:17.81\00:15:19.15
if they would just
come sit down with you
00:15:19.18\00:15:20.65
and just you know, tell you,
00:15:20.68\00:15:23.05
"Are you hearing it, Mollie,
00:15:23.08\00:15:24.42
I want you to do
this, this, and this."
00:15:24.45\00:15:26.55
It's a quiet voice.
00:15:26.59\00:15:27.92
It's that inner witness,
and the Lord speaks clearly,
00:15:27.96\00:15:31.86
it's not garbled.
00:15:31.89\00:15:33.23
You don't have to
wonder what He's telling you.
00:15:33.26\00:15:35.63
When the Lord
gives you direction
00:15:35.66\00:15:37.60
it's first and foremost
consistent with His word,
00:15:37.63\00:15:40.87
it's a quiet voice,
00:15:40.90\00:15:42.40
and we know the scripture
where He wasn't in the thunder,
00:15:42.44\00:15:47.81
He wasn't in the
lightning, He was...
00:15:47.84\00:15:50.11
It was the still small
voice that God spoke to,
00:15:50.15\00:15:53.08
I believe it was Elijah
that He was speaking to.
00:15:53.11\00:15:55.88
Still small voice and He
will give you clear direction.
00:15:55.92\00:15:59.95
You don't have to
wonder what direction to take
00:15:59.99\00:16:02.82
if it's the north or the south,
He'll give you clear direction.
00:16:02.86\00:16:05.73
Yeah. I like all three.
00:16:05.76\00:16:08.43
History has shown
00:16:08.46\00:16:09.86
that when God asks
you to do something
00:16:09.90\00:16:13.10
there tends to be
not a lot of grey area.
00:16:13.13\00:16:16.04
It's either kind of,
yea or nay, come or go,
00:16:16.07\00:16:20.68
not a lot of hazy area.
00:16:20.71\00:16:22.64
And this idea that
He's not gonna shout,
00:16:22.68\00:16:26.15
He's not gonna try to
speak over your television set,
00:16:26.18\00:16:28.48
He's not gonna try to
blast over your car radio.
00:16:28.52\00:16:30.92
Sometimes you've got to turn
all of that ambient stuff off
00:16:30.95\00:16:34.06
so that you can distinctly
hear the voice of God.
00:16:34.09\00:16:36.39
You got to listen
for the voice of God
00:16:36.42\00:16:38.13
and then you got be
in the mindset to accept
00:16:38.16\00:16:41.26
what you're going to hear.
00:16:41.30\00:16:42.63
That's it.
00:16:42.66\00:16:44.00
I don't think God is
under any obligation, pastor,
00:16:44.03\00:16:45.70
to give you information
00:16:45.73\00:16:48.24
that you're gonna
toss in the trash can.
00:16:48.27\00:16:49.60
Right.
00:16:49.64\00:16:50.97
You know, first up there
must be a willingness to do
00:16:51.01\00:16:54.28
then you will know.
00:16:54.31\00:16:55.64
It seems counterintuitive
00:16:55.68\00:16:57.01
but that's the
way God will have.
00:16:57.05\00:16:58.38
If you say, "Lord,
whatever you show me
00:16:58.41\00:16:59.75
I'm willing to do,"
00:16:59.78\00:17:01.12
well, now He's on
the line to show you.
00:17:01.15\00:17:03.72
But if you have no
intention of doing,
00:17:03.75\00:17:05.29
then why would he show you
00:17:05.32\00:17:06.65
something that is not
that you don't intend on doing.
00:17:06.69\00:17:08.66
Pastor, what do you think?
00:17:08.69\00:17:10.03
You know, whereas as you
mentioned the still small voice
00:17:10.06\00:17:12.99
and that's 1 Kings
19 and when Elijah...
00:17:13.03\00:17:18.53
Actually he was in the situation
00:17:18.57\00:17:19.90
where he was afraid of
the voices of the enemy.
00:17:19.93\00:17:23.34
And he was in hiding
and God comes up to him
00:17:23.37\00:17:27.38
with His still
small voice and says,
00:17:27.41\00:17:29.01
"I have a work for you to do."
00:17:29.04\00:17:31.15
First He shows him
His strength, His power,
00:17:31.18\00:17:33.45
but He speaks to him,
00:17:33.48\00:17:34.92
He gives him the
assurance that He's there
00:17:34.95\00:17:36.75
and He's more powerful
than all these other voices.
00:17:36.79\00:17:38.92
The still small voice is
what beckoned Elijah to go
00:17:38.95\00:17:43.43
and to set up kings, to
call Elisha into ministry.
00:17:43.46\00:17:48.20
God was not finished with him.
00:17:48.23\00:17:49.76
He had a work for him to do.
00:17:49.80\00:17:51.80
And oftentimes the
enemy can paralyze us
00:17:51.83\00:17:54.77
and have us
afraid of the obstacles
00:17:54.80\00:17:57.64
instead of the opportunities
that God has for us.
00:17:57.67\00:18:00.98
When I think of my own journey
in hearing the voice of God,
00:18:01.01\00:18:04.95
you mentioned earlier
that where I can't do that,
00:18:04.98\00:18:07.35
I can't do that, you
know, I will say to myself,
00:18:07.38\00:18:09.32
"That's right, I can't do that
but God qualifies the called."
00:18:09.35\00:18:13.36
Amen.
00:18:13.39\00:18:14.72
"And He can do that through me
00:18:14.76\00:18:16.12
if He wants to and
I do not belong there
00:18:16.16\00:18:19.46
unless it's the voice
of God taking me there
00:18:19.49\00:18:21.90
and then sustaining
me while I'm there."
00:18:21.93\00:18:24.53
And that is a
journey we're all on.
00:18:24.57\00:18:28.47
And I don't know how,
well, as matter of fact,
00:18:28.50\00:18:31.91
Jesus was a supreme
example of that voice.
00:18:31.94\00:18:34.98
I do have a text
if you'd like to...
00:18:35.01\00:18:38.31
Let's go to Isaiah 50.
00:18:38.35\00:18:41.95
As I was doing some study,
00:18:41.98\00:18:43.99
I was thinking about
these verses 4 and 5,
00:18:44.02\00:18:46.55
Isaiah 50:4-5.
00:18:46.59\00:18:51.46
And this is
actually about the servant,
00:18:51.49\00:18:53.19
the servant of God
which He asks us all to be,
00:18:53.23\00:18:57.13
and in verse 4 the
second half it says,
00:18:57.17\00:19:00.44
"He awakens me
morning by morning."
00:19:00.47\00:19:02.44
Yes.
00:19:02.47\00:19:03.81
I don't know if
anybody else here
00:19:03.84\00:19:05.17
have God wake
you in the morning,
00:19:05.21\00:19:06.54
would that be the voice of God,
00:19:06.57\00:19:07.91
'cause I think that's in
line what we're talking about.
00:19:07.94\00:19:10.28
"He awakens my ear
to hear as the learned."
00:19:10.31\00:19:15.42
So in other words
your school master
00:19:15.45\00:19:17.72
is the Lord himself.
00:19:17.75\00:19:20.52
And then verse 5, "The
Lord God has opened my ear
00:19:20.56\00:19:23.96
and I was not
rebellious nor did I turn away."
00:19:23.99\00:19:27.20
And verse 6 talks
about giving his back
00:19:27.23\00:19:29.56
to those that struck him
00:19:29.60\00:19:30.93
and his cheeks to those
that plucked out his beard."
00:19:30.97\00:19:33.87
So it was the voice of God that
led Jesus into the wilderness,
00:19:33.90\00:19:36.94
it was the voice of God
that led Him to the cross,
00:19:36.97\00:19:40.41
and the reason
why He was able to go
00:19:40.44\00:19:42.54
through those experience is
00:19:42.58\00:19:43.91
because He had the voice of God
00:19:43.95\00:19:45.28
He had been
listening to His entire life.
00:19:45.31\00:19:48.02
I was amazed when I see
that Jesus sees the sanctuary
00:19:48.05\00:19:52.65
for the first time at age 12
and realizes that's about Him
00:19:52.69\00:19:57.43
and God's call in His life.
00:19:57.46\00:19:59.76
He was listening
to the voice of God
00:19:59.79\00:20:02.03
and the ones around Him
00:20:02.06\00:20:03.47
when He actually
turned the tables over
00:20:03.50\00:20:06.84
with the money changers,
00:20:06.87\00:20:08.20
they were listening
to all these other voices
00:20:08.24\00:20:10.34
but He knew the voice of
God throughout His entire life
00:20:10.37\00:20:13.44
and He's a supreme
example for me to understand
00:20:13.48\00:20:16.58
when God is
calling in my life as well.
00:20:16.61\00:20:18.05
Yeah, I like that.
00:20:18.08\00:20:19.41
I like something you
brought up, Pastor Tom,
00:20:19.45\00:20:21.55
about the
relationship that reminds me,
00:20:21.58\00:20:23.85
if we can go to John 10...
00:20:23.89\00:20:25.65
Yeah. It reminds me of that.
00:20:25.69\00:20:28.46
I had six keys for
identifying the voice of God
00:20:28.49\00:20:32.26
and I know we'll probably
discuss all different keys here
00:20:32.29\00:20:34.96
but my first one was
what you had mentioned Mollie,
00:20:35.00\00:20:36.93
the Word of God.
00:20:36.97\00:20:38.30
Making sure everything
lines up with the Word of God
00:20:38.33\00:20:41.27
because God's
voice will never speak
00:20:41.30\00:20:43.04
contrary to His Word.
00:20:43.07\00:20:46.74
But then the second
one is the relationship
00:20:46.78\00:20:49.08
and you touched
on that, Pastor Tom.
00:20:49.11\00:20:50.65
John 10, this is the
"good shepherd and the sheep",
00:20:50.68\00:20:54.78
and it's interesting to me that
John 9 comes before John 10,
00:20:54.82\00:20:58.69
I mean, obviously
chronologically they do
00:20:58.72\00:21:00.52
but John 9, of course,
00:21:00.56\00:21:02.26
is the man who was born blind
and then he received his sight.
00:21:02.29\00:21:05.89
And remember the false teachers
00:21:05.93\00:21:08.40
you could say had
instructed the Pharisees,
00:21:08.43\00:21:11.63
the Sadducees, the
religious leaders of that day
00:21:11.67\00:21:14.00
had instructed the people
that if you had an ailment,
00:21:14.04\00:21:20.08
if you had an issue it
was due to sin in your life.
00:21:20.11\00:21:24.81
Remember the
disciples said, "Who sinned?
00:21:24.85\00:21:26.72
Was it this man or his parents?"
00:21:26.75\00:21:28.55
And Jesus said, "Neither,"
00:21:28.58\00:21:30.25
it's that God
could be glorified.
00:21:30.29\00:21:32.32
But it's interesting
that just after chapter 9,
00:21:32.35\00:21:35.49
we jump into chapter 10
00:21:35.52\00:21:36.93
and I think there's a
certain reason for that.
00:21:36.96\00:21:40.56
John 10:1, "Most
assuredly, I say to you,
00:21:40.60\00:21:45.00
he who does not enter
the sheepfold by the door,
00:21:45.03\00:21:48.37
but climbs up some other
ways the thief and the robber,"
00:21:48.40\00:21:51.21
and I think Jesus is saying,
00:21:51.24\00:21:52.57
"You have been
sitting under false teachers,
00:21:52.61\00:21:54.74
you have been
listening to false teachers."
00:21:54.78\00:21:57.11
"He who enters by the door
is the shepherd of the sheep."
00:21:57.15\00:22:00.12
And then as we jump
down verse 4, I love this,
00:22:00.15\00:22:03.28
"When he brings
out his own sheep,
00:22:03.32\00:22:04.95
he goes before them and
the sheep follow him," Why?
00:22:04.99\00:22:09.86
"For they know his voice."
00:22:09.89\00:22:13.23
So how can I think, "Okay,
00:22:13.26\00:22:16.87
I want to
identify the voice of God,
00:22:16.90\00:22:19.27
but how can I
identify the voice of God
00:22:19.30\00:22:22.00
unless I know him?
00:22:22.04\00:22:23.64
Unless I know Jesus
and I'm friends with him?"
00:22:23.67\00:22:27.31
You know, if
you're in a crowded room
00:22:27.34\00:22:28.71
and there's a lot of noise
00:22:28.74\00:22:30.35
and all of a sudden
Greg talks, guess what,
00:22:30.38\00:22:32.18
I can hear his voice.
00:22:32.21\00:22:33.55
Right.
00:22:33.58\00:22:34.92
Because I know and instantly
00:22:34.95\00:22:36.28
I recognize or
identify his voice.
00:22:36.32\00:22:38.55
Or my office is
down the hall from,
00:22:38.59\00:22:40.82
you know, the
door at the end there
00:22:40.86\00:22:42.72
and when my boss,
Danny Shelton walks in,
00:22:42.76\00:22:45.39
sometimes I can hear his voice
when he walks in and I think,
00:22:45.43\00:22:48.56
"Oh, good, he's in the office.
00:22:48.60\00:22:49.96
I gotta catch him and
ask him to do this and that,"
00:22:50.00\00:22:52.40
because you
recognize somebody's voice.
00:22:52.43\00:22:54.94
And I think
that's key in identifying
00:22:54.97\00:22:57.41
when God speaks to me,
00:22:57.44\00:22:58.77
I have to fall in love with Him,
00:22:58.81\00:23:00.21
I have to know Him intimately.
00:23:00.24\00:23:03.38
Well said.
00:23:03.41\00:23:04.75
You know, the Bible says,
00:23:04.78\00:23:06.11
"Ask us to let
this mind be in you
00:23:06.15\00:23:07.85
which is also in Christ Jesus."
00:23:07.88\00:23:09.35
There are certain prerequisites
to hearing the voice of God.
00:23:09.38\00:23:14.06
I was watching the
National Geographic Special ones
00:23:14.09\00:23:16.83
and it was
talking about penguins
00:23:16.86\00:23:19.46
hearing the call
of the parent penguin
00:23:19.49\00:23:22.33
and you've got
half a million birds,
00:23:22.36\00:23:24.57
all squawking but
they can pick out...
00:23:24.60\00:23:27.44
mama can pick out child
and child can pick out mama
00:23:27.47\00:23:30.34
because you become
attuned to that voice.
00:23:30.37\00:23:34.31
The Bible tells us that
00:23:34.34\00:23:35.68
spiritual things are
spiritually discerned.
00:23:35.71\00:23:37.51
So you must
have a spiritual mind
00:23:37.55\00:23:39.71
if you're going to undertake
to do spiritual things.
00:23:39.75\00:23:43.59
Ellen White says, she
said in Review and Herald,
00:23:43.62\00:23:45.39
this is August in 1888 that,
00:23:45.42\00:23:48.56
"There is no need to
try to exercise yourself
00:23:48.59\00:23:52.49
in spiritual realms
00:23:52.53\00:23:54.23
unless you have
the spirit of God
00:23:54.26\00:23:56.70
animating that exercise
and directing how it's done.
00:23:56.73\00:24:00.17
So you need to have
God's direction and God's plan
00:24:00.20\00:24:04.14
and if you don't have them,
00:24:04.17\00:24:05.51
then you're not sure
you're on the right track.
00:24:05.54\00:24:07.74
You got to be accustomed
to hearing the voice of God
00:24:07.78\00:24:10.11
which presupposes
that you're prayed up
00:24:10.15\00:24:14.58
before you begin to act up.
00:24:14.62\00:24:16.28
You know, you
got to be prayed up,
00:24:16.32\00:24:17.65
you got to talk with Him
00:24:17.69\00:24:19.02
and open up that
line of communication
00:24:19.05\00:24:20.39
so that when,
00:24:20.42\00:24:21.86
you know, you got
to watch and pray,
00:24:21.89\00:24:23.53
because if you're
watching and not praying
00:24:23.56\00:24:25.36
you'll see it and miss it,
00:24:25.39\00:24:26.73
if you're
praying and not watching
00:24:26.76\00:24:28.33
when it happens
you're not ready to act,
00:24:28.36\00:24:29.70
you're not ready act on it.
00:24:29.73\00:24:31.07
So you must watch and pray,
00:24:31.10\00:24:32.43
then you'll be ready to act
on what God shows you to do.
00:24:32.47\00:24:34.50
Mollie?
00:24:34.54\00:24:35.87
You know, Psalms 46:10,
00:24:35.90\00:24:37.24
"Be still, and
know that I am God."
00:24:37.27\00:24:41.64
I don't know about you
00:24:41.68\00:24:43.01
and I hope this
isn't true for you,
00:24:43.04\00:24:44.81
but it seems like
the busyness in my life
00:24:44.85\00:24:49.22
keeps me so preoccupied
00:24:49.25\00:24:50.89
and there's so much to
do and what I need to do,
00:24:50.92\00:24:55.89
I'm just gonna speak for myself,
00:24:55.92\00:24:57.96
is fix my receiver to
get still, to be still...
00:24:57.99\00:25:02.40
Absolutely.
00:25:02.43\00:25:03.77
And put myself in a position
to hear that still small voice.
00:25:03.80\00:25:07.17
I get my ear attuned
and how do you do that is,
00:25:07.20\00:25:10.17
you know, spending time.
00:25:10.21\00:25:11.71
There is no quick fix,
there is no easy quick way
00:25:11.74\00:25:17.15
for you to put yourself in
right relationship with God
00:25:17.18\00:25:20.12
and get your heart
prepared to receive.
00:25:20.15\00:25:22.72
It takes spending
time in his presence.
00:25:22.75\00:25:25.59
It's, you know, we are
such a quick fix people
00:25:25.62\00:25:29.76
and we are so busy to...
00:25:29.79\00:25:31.13
Pastor Ferguson,
are you ever too busy?
00:25:31.16\00:25:34.10
Do we ever...
Never, never, what is that?
00:25:34.13\00:25:35.93
What is... Yeah.
00:25:35.96\00:25:37.30
We catch ourselves at times
00:25:37.33\00:25:41.40
just rushing from
one thing to another,
00:25:41.44\00:25:44.11
there has got to be time
and the best time in the world,
00:25:44.14\00:25:46.71
and boy, and I'm
speaking to myself,
00:25:46.74\00:25:49.01
is those early
morning hours where...
00:25:49.04\00:25:52.35
And I think we said earlier
at 4 o'clock in the morning
00:25:52.38\00:25:56.08
when you wake up,
00:25:56.12\00:25:57.45
the enemy wouldn't wake you up
00:25:57.49\00:25:58.89
and tell you to pray at
4 o'clock in the morning.
00:25:58.92\00:26:01.49
That's gonna be God telling...
00:26:01.52\00:26:03.73
that time of
early morning prayer
00:26:03.76\00:26:05.79
when you're the freshest
just being God in His presence
00:26:05.83\00:26:09.00
and spend time in God's presence
00:26:09.03\00:26:11.20
and allow Him to
speak to your heart,
00:26:11.23\00:26:13.20
spend time in His word,
00:26:13.23\00:26:14.74
and let the busyness of
this world just melt away
00:26:14.77\00:26:18.51
and spend time with Him.
00:26:18.54\00:26:20.11
It's good.
00:26:20.14\00:26:21.51
I was just thinking too
that everyone who is in ministry
00:26:21.54\00:26:25.28
and we all are ministers,
00:26:25.31\00:26:27.15
when you are ministering,
00:26:27.18\00:26:28.85
it is, God can be the
voice of God to someone else
00:26:28.88\00:26:32.92
that needs that voice.
00:26:32.95\00:26:35.42
And unless
you're in the condition
00:26:35.46\00:26:37.26
that you just stated,
00:26:37.29\00:26:38.79
it's impossible for you
to be a minister that day
00:26:38.83\00:26:41.10
or that moment.
00:26:41.13\00:26:42.90
I wanted to
look at John 10 again
00:26:42.93\00:26:45.23
and 'cause there's a
couple of other things
00:26:45.27\00:26:46.74
that I saw there too
that were pretty neat.
00:26:46.77\00:26:49.44
If we go to verse 2, it says,
00:26:49.47\00:26:51.57
"To Him, the doorkeeper opens
and the sheep hear his voice."
00:26:51.61\00:26:57.25
Do you know who the doorkeepers
are when I study that out?
00:26:57.28\00:26:59.78
His disciples.
00:26:59.81\00:27:02.92
And I thought, "Wow,
that is really neat."
00:27:02.95\00:27:06.62
God has a calling
for us to help others
00:27:06.65\00:27:08.79
hear the voice of God.
00:27:08.82\00:27:10.53
Do you ever wonder
if there is one voice
00:27:10.56\00:27:13.09
and everyone thinks
they're following that voice
00:27:13.13\00:27:15.76
and there's 30,000 plus
denominations out there,
00:27:15.80\00:27:19.87
and we're all thinking
we're hearing His voice.
00:27:19.90\00:27:24.01
I just recently
officiated a funeral
00:27:24.04\00:27:27.61
and I heard a lot of
different voices out there
00:27:27.64\00:27:30.45
as to what is happening
with that individual right now,
00:27:30.48\00:27:33.52
and yeah, we're
opening the same Bible.
00:27:33.55\00:27:36.08
So what voice
are we listening to?
00:27:36.12\00:27:38.15
And one of the things
that I find encouraging,
00:27:38.19\00:27:40.82
if you go down to verse 16,
00:27:40.86\00:27:45.63
first of all He
says in verse 14,
00:27:45.66\00:27:47.36
"I know my sheep and
I'm known by my own."
00:27:47.40\00:27:50.57
"And other sheep
I have," verse 16,
00:27:50.60\00:27:53.23
"Which are not of this
fold, them also I must bring,
00:27:53.27\00:27:57.37
and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock,
00:27:57.41\00:28:00.68
and one shepherd."
00:28:00.71\00:28:02.04
Recently, I had
someone tell me that...
00:28:02.08\00:28:06.65
Going to attend a
church two years ago
00:28:06.68\00:28:08.88
and it was going
to be their first
00:28:08.92\00:28:10.49
and their very last time
00:28:10.52\00:28:11.85
they were ever
gonna go to a church.
00:28:11.89\00:28:13.22
Oh, wow.
00:28:13.25\00:28:14.59
But God had been
calling on their lives,
00:28:14.62\00:28:16.52
they didn't recognize it
was the voice of God yet,
00:28:16.56\00:28:19.43
but He had been
working with them
00:28:19.46\00:28:20.96
and that was their testimony.
00:28:21.00\00:28:22.33
He works on us before
we know Him personally,
00:28:22.36\00:28:25.13
He draws us.
00:28:25.17\00:28:26.50
And when he went to that church
it was a beautiful sermon,
00:28:26.53\00:28:29.74
there was an altar
call and he found himself
00:28:29.77\00:28:31.24
standing in the
front of the church
00:28:31.27\00:28:33.07
and he hasn't
missed church since.
00:28:33.11\00:28:34.71
Amen.
00:28:34.74\00:28:36.08
So the voice of
God in the beginning,
00:28:36.11\00:28:38.18
in the early reign is
it has a converting effect,
00:28:38.21\00:28:41.35
and the voice of
God as we continue
00:28:41.38\00:28:43.92
has a sanctifying
effect making us like Jesus.
00:28:43.95\00:28:47.86
So that's one of the
key indicators for me
00:28:47.89\00:28:50.03
if it's the voice of God
it's either drawing us to Him,
00:28:50.06\00:28:52.83
making us more like Him,
00:28:52.86\00:28:54.20
usually means we
have to sacrifice
00:28:54.23\00:28:55.90
may be what we think is
best to what He knows is best.
00:28:55.93\00:29:00.10
And that's key
00:29:00.14\00:29:02.54
but, yeah, there's still a
lot of confusion in this world
00:29:02.57\00:29:05.04
about the voice of God,
00:29:05.07\00:29:07.14
and for instance when
two Christians disagree,
00:29:07.18\00:29:11.11
where is the voice of
God in that situation?
00:29:11.15\00:29:16.08
I think one of the things
that we should always remember
00:29:16.12\00:29:21.26
with few
exceptions, God does not make,
00:29:21.29\00:29:24.76
and I'm thinking of rather
specific circumstances here,
00:29:24.79\00:29:28.00
God will not make
an exception for you
00:29:28.03\00:29:32.67
to a established
biblical principle.
00:29:32.70\00:29:37.04
We should not
be unequally yoked.
00:29:37.07\00:29:42.74
But he's handsome
and he's got a good job,
00:29:42.78\00:29:45.01
and he treats me nice
and she's gorgeous and...
00:29:45.05\00:29:49.95
So God is gonna give me a pass
00:29:49.98\00:29:53.22
because God
wants me to be happy.
00:29:53.25\00:29:56.19
In fact, I have a good
friend, a Korean fellow,
00:29:56.22\00:30:00.16
who is Presbyterian and
he works seven days a week,
00:30:00.20\00:30:03.57
he works all day, he
owns three dry cleaners.
00:30:03.60\00:30:07.24
He does his own
books, his own accounting.
00:30:07.27\00:30:09.37
He banks his money himself.
00:30:09.40\00:30:10.74
He opens them himself,
he closes them himself.
00:30:10.77\00:30:13.41
He has a degree
00:30:13.44\00:30:14.78
from the Culinary
Institute of America.
00:30:14.81\00:30:16.14
He cooks for his family.
00:30:16.18\00:30:17.51
So when he
leaves the dry cleaners
00:30:17.55\00:30:18.88
he goes home and his
family sitting at a table
00:30:18.91\00:30:20.38
waiting for him
to come and cook...
00:30:20.42\00:30:21.75
Bless him.
00:30:21.78\00:30:23.12
Then on Sunday
he sings in a choir,
00:30:23.15\00:30:24.49
he cooks for the church.
00:30:24.52\00:30:25.89
And I told him...
00:30:25.92\00:30:27.26
When does he rest?
You are going to die.
00:30:27.29\00:30:29.92
You can't keep up that schedule.
00:30:29.96\00:30:32.19
What he says, "I like money
00:30:32.23\00:30:35.16
and I work seven
days a week to have money
00:30:35.20\00:30:38.53
and that makes me happy
and God wants me to be happy."
00:30:38.57\00:30:40.40
That's his theology.
00:30:40.44\00:30:44.07
But you're killing yourself,
00:30:44.11\00:30:45.47
you know, he is getting
old and getting old fast.
00:30:45.51\00:30:48.78
So he thinks God is
gonna make an exception
00:30:48.81\00:30:50.91
to health laws for him,
00:30:50.95\00:30:53.68
because my
family needs me to cook.
00:30:53.72\00:30:55.18
So they sit with
their hands folded
00:30:55.22\00:30:56.55
waiting for me to
come home and cook.
00:30:56.58\00:30:58.35
And they're just sitting
at the table waiting for me,
00:30:58.39\00:31:00.46
so God is going to keep me
00:31:00.49\00:31:02.22
while I just
butcher these health laws
00:31:02.26\00:31:04.83
because I'm the
exception to the rule
00:31:04.86\00:31:07.66
that if you burn
the candle at both ends
00:31:07.70\00:31:09.16
you're going to
burn the candle out."
00:31:09.20\00:31:10.60
God doesn't do
that... That's right.
00:31:10.63\00:31:12.33
God doesn't do that.
00:31:12.37\00:31:13.70
He's sincere but
he is sincerely wrong.
00:31:13.74\00:31:16.17
And there are doctors
who own yachts and Mercedes
00:31:16.20\00:31:20.74
and big mansions
00:31:20.78\00:31:22.11
because people think that
they can abrogate health laws
00:31:22.14\00:31:25.05
and God's gonna make an
exception just for them,
00:31:25.08\00:31:26.85
that ain't so.
00:31:26.88\00:31:28.48
So God is not gonna
make an exception for you.
00:31:28.52\00:31:30.62
You've got to follow
those laws and principles
00:31:30.65\00:31:32.82
that are laid down by the Lord.
00:31:32.85\00:31:34.92
You know, people who
have heard the voice of God
00:31:34.96\00:31:39.16
and ignored it, they know it.
00:31:39.19\00:31:40.53
That's right.
00:31:40.56\00:31:41.90
It doesn't escape them
00:31:41.93\00:31:43.93
and I just wanted to can
to address that because...
00:31:43.97\00:31:49.47
God will redeem that.
00:31:49.50\00:31:51.11
He can redeem...
00:31:51.14\00:31:52.47
If you spend time with
Him and put yourself back
00:31:52.51\00:31:56.88
in the right
relation with the Lord,
00:31:56.91\00:31:58.88
although you, you
know that He spoke to you
00:31:58.91\00:32:02.48
and He gave you direction,
00:32:02.52\00:32:04.62
told you not to
do this or to do this
00:32:04.65\00:32:06.86
and you ignored that,
00:32:06.89\00:32:08.59
then you find
yourself in a situation,
00:32:08.62\00:32:11.19
may be a bad situation,
00:32:11.23\00:32:12.93
and although your
circumstance may not change,
00:32:12.96\00:32:15.96
God can redeem you.
00:32:16.00\00:32:17.63
That's right.
00:32:17.67\00:32:19.00
So spend time with Him,
He will reward your devotion,
00:32:19.03\00:32:23.07
that's what He will reward.
00:32:23.10\00:32:24.81
And so don't, don't put...
00:32:24.84\00:32:26.94
And I just wanted to ask,
have you ever said to yourself,
00:32:26.98\00:32:30.88
"I knew I shouldn't
have done it when I did it,"
00:32:30.91\00:32:33.92
but it was the
practical thing to do
00:32:33.95\00:32:36.35
and you were
being pressured to do it
00:32:36.38\00:32:37.99
but there was just this
knowing in your mind that,
00:32:38.02\00:32:41.52
"I am about to
do the wrong thing
00:32:41.56\00:32:43.69
but it seemed so
right that you did it."
00:32:43.73\00:32:47.40
You know, it's
amazing because...
00:32:47.43\00:32:49.00
I don't mean to
cut you off, Mollie...
00:32:49.03\00:32:50.37
No, no, not at all.
00:32:50.40\00:32:51.80
It's amazing because I
think that we say as Christians,
00:32:51.83\00:32:55.47
"Oh, I struggle hearing
and knowing the voice of God,"
00:32:55.50\00:32:58.07
and there were times that we do,
00:32:58.11\00:32:59.54
but I think in my own experience
00:32:59.57\00:33:01.74
more often than not I struggle
obeying the voice of God.
00:33:01.78\00:33:05.35
I struggle following what
I know God wants me to do.
00:33:05.38\00:33:09.72
You read Pastor
Tom in Isaiah 50,
00:33:09.75\00:33:12.19
"The Lord has given me
the tongue of the learned,"
00:33:12.22\00:33:13.99
that one in the end of verse 5,
00:33:14.02\00:33:17.36
"The Lord has opened my
ear and I was not rebellious
00:33:17.39\00:33:20.13
nor did I turn away,"
00:33:20.16\00:33:21.50
but how many times
does God call for our heart
00:33:21.53\00:33:24.17
and say, "Okay, Jill,
I want you to step out
00:33:24.20\00:33:26.97
in this decision.
00:33:27.00\00:33:28.34
I want you to do this"
00:33:28.37\00:33:29.70
and I say, "but
it looks too hard,
00:33:29.74\00:33:31.71
it looks too big.
00:33:31.74\00:33:33.41
I don't want to do that,"
or it goes against my flesh,
00:33:33.44\00:33:37.11
my own desires,
00:33:37.15\00:33:39.35
and so then I say,
"I don't want to do it."
00:33:39.38\00:33:41.18
Yes, go ahead, I'm sorry.
00:33:41.22\00:33:42.55
Yeah, just don't want to pay
the price, sorry to interrupt.
00:33:42.58\00:33:44.05
Yeah, no, absolutely.
00:33:44.09\00:33:45.55
So, yeah, so it's a
great point, Mollie.
00:33:45.59\00:33:48.22
Yeah.
00:33:48.26\00:33:49.59
You know, I wanted you to give,
and I'm sure all of us will,
00:33:49.62\00:33:53.19
examples where
the Lord spoke to me
00:33:53.23\00:33:57.13
and it wasn't, again,
it wasn't that verbal voice
00:33:57.17\00:33:59.20
and one of them is
just, just practical
00:33:59.23\00:34:03.41
how to make right
decisions in the ministry,
00:34:03.44\00:34:06.47
and the other one does have
00:34:06.51\00:34:07.84
more of a
spiritual connotation to it,
00:34:07.88\00:34:10.11
but I remember one time
00:34:10.15\00:34:12.08
the then Production
Manager came to my office
00:34:12.11\00:34:17.29
because they were having
a bit of an issue on the set
00:34:17.32\00:34:20.82
and what it was, you know,
00:34:20.86\00:34:22.26
I'll explain this
as carefully as I can.
00:34:22.29\00:34:25.09
We had two gentlemen,
00:34:25.13\00:34:26.83
they were physicians I believe
00:34:26.86\00:34:29.63
it was from Andrews University
00:34:29.66\00:34:31.57
and they were giving an
illustration or instruction
00:34:31.60\00:34:34.67
on how women were to
check themselves every month,
00:34:34.70\00:34:38.77
check their breasts
every month for lumps
00:34:38.81\00:34:43.08
which is a very practical
thing for us to learn how to do.
00:34:43.11\00:34:46.21
And so what they have was...
00:34:46.25\00:34:48.25
a mannequin, a dummy
00:34:48.28\00:34:51.55
and it was very modest
00:34:51.59\00:34:56.09
but they still felt like
it could be misconstrued.
00:34:56.12\00:35:01.06
And they also wanted my
hands because they were women
00:35:01.10\00:35:04.07
and they didn't
want to show a man...
00:35:04.10\00:35:05.57
That's right.
00:35:05.60\00:35:06.94
Just so they were
gonna use my hands.
00:35:06.97\00:35:08.30
But they said, you know,
00:35:08.34\00:35:09.67
"What can we do to
make this even more modest?"
00:35:09.70\00:35:12.77
Well, this was
asked me in my office.
00:35:12.81\00:35:14.94
While, as I was
coming through the lobby
00:35:14.98\00:35:17.81
the word blurring was
dropped into my heart,
00:35:17.85\00:35:20.95
or blurring came to my mind,
wherever it came, and blurring.
00:35:20.98\00:35:25.59
Well, I had no idea what
they were actually gonna ask me
00:35:25.62\00:35:28.29
but when we got out
to the set there it was,
00:35:28.32\00:35:30.93
"What can we do to
make this more modest?"
00:35:30.96\00:35:33.63
And I said, "Well,
00:35:33.66\00:35:35.13
isn't there a thing called
blurring that we could do?"
00:35:35.16\00:35:37.33
They said, "Why
didn't we think of that?"
00:35:37.37\00:35:39.23
Well, see I knew I
didn't think of that, it's...
00:35:39.27\00:35:41.47
That's right. So was
that the voice of God?
00:35:41.50\00:35:43.54
It sure wasn't me.
00:35:43.57\00:35:44.91
So I think the Lord...
00:35:44.94\00:35:46.27
see how that's just practical.
00:35:46.31\00:35:47.64
God's given you
instruction on what to do.
00:35:47.68\00:35:50.88
And then in Sabbath school,
00:35:50.91\00:35:53.35
all of this was maybe
four or five weeks ago,
00:35:53.38\00:35:57.35
a lady, her name is
Maria, she is now here,
00:35:57.39\00:36:01.02
she is a volunteer, a wonderful
volunteer here at 3ABN.
00:36:01.06\00:36:05.43
Well, she was from another area
and she was reading her Bible
00:36:05.46\00:36:10.67
and heard a sermon by her pastor
00:36:10.70\00:36:14.30
and it was talking about God
setting His families in flocks.
00:36:14.34\00:36:19.97
And she...
00:36:20.01\00:36:22.44
that just really
dropped into her heart...
00:36:22.48\00:36:24.51
You mean the
solitary in families?
00:36:24.55\00:36:26.58
Well, I've got
the scripture here,
00:36:26.61\00:36:28.62
it's Psalm 68:6, "God
sets the solitary in families,"
00:36:28.65\00:36:32.29
in Psalms 107:41,
"Makes families like a flock."
00:36:32.32\00:36:35.82
"God sets the
solitary in families,"
00:36:35.86\00:36:38.13
that's Psalm 68:6.
00:36:38.16\00:36:39.59
Well, she was
reading that scripture
00:36:39.63\00:36:41.90
and then the
sermon and she said,
00:36:41.93\00:36:44.53
"You know, I want
to be part of a family
00:36:44.57\00:36:47.37
and 3ABN is my family.
00:36:47.40\00:36:49.50
I'm a part of the
blessing is on the go,
00:36:49.54\00:36:52.87
and I'm part of
the family already.
00:36:52.91\00:36:55.68
So I'm gonna go down
to 3ABN and volunteer
00:36:55.71\00:37:00.05
and see if this isn't
where the Lord has directed me."
00:37:00.08\00:37:02.58
She felt so strongly that God
was directing her in that area.
00:37:02.62\00:37:06.62
So she came in to
Sabbath school class
00:37:06.65\00:37:08.66
and she came a little late
00:37:08.69\00:37:10.23
because she had
a little difficulty
00:37:10.26\00:37:11.73
getting to the church,
00:37:11.76\00:37:13.09
and just as she
walked into the classroom
00:37:13.13\00:37:16.60
and sat down,
00:37:16.63\00:37:17.97
now this scripture wasn't
in my Sabbath school lesson,
00:37:18.00\00:37:22.57
it's just the Lord
strongly impressed upon my heart
00:37:22.60\00:37:26.07
for me to use this scripture
00:37:26.11\00:37:28.18
in one of the
examples that I was using.
00:37:28.21\00:37:30.88
So I told her, so I
was speaking to the class
00:37:30.91\00:37:34.22
and the Lord
tells us in Psalm 68:6,
00:37:34.25\00:37:37.12
"God sets the
solitary in families,"
00:37:37.15\00:37:40.16
and that was the very scripture
00:37:40.19\00:37:42.72
that God had
impressed upon her heart
00:37:42.76\00:37:45.19
when she said
it's time for me to,
00:37:45.23\00:37:47.96
you know, to go
volunteer at 3ABN.
00:37:48.00\00:37:50.47
So that was an...
00:37:50.50\00:37:53.27
where God
impressed upon my heart
00:37:53.30\00:37:55.80
to put that scripture
into my Sabbath School lesson
00:37:55.84\00:38:01.01
and did I know that the
Lord was speaking that to me?
00:38:01.04\00:38:04.28
Well, I was hoping He was
00:38:04.31\00:38:05.65
'cause I always pray
and ask the Lord to help,
00:38:05.68\00:38:07.75
Lord, help when you're
putting a lesson together.
00:38:07.78\00:38:10.29
That one was just a
practical example here
00:38:10.32\00:38:14.92
of something we do here at 3ABN
00:38:14.96\00:38:16.83
and one it really
helped that lady know that
00:38:16.86\00:38:19.86
this really was what God wanted.
00:38:19.89\00:38:21.46
Amen.
00:38:21.50\00:38:22.83
But you know what,
that's an example of,
00:38:22.86\00:38:24.20
is that is God using you
00:38:24.23\00:38:26.74
to speak and
share the voice of God
00:38:26.77\00:38:28.94
into someone else's life,
00:38:28.97\00:38:30.47
you know, because
as we come before God
00:38:30.51\00:38:32.77
and we look at the scripture
00:38:32.81\00:38:34.88
and we want to
walk and surrender
00:38:34.91\00:38:36.24
whatever God calls for us,
whatever He wants us to do.
00:38:36.28\00:38:39.08
But at the same
time God uses each other.
00:38:39.11\00:38:42.12
God uses people to speak
into other people's lives.
00:38:42.15\00:38:45.65
Yes.
00:38:45.69\00:38:47.02
Who can say, Pastor Tom can say,
00:38:47.06\00:38:48.39
"You know what, Jill,
the Lord has put this"
00:38:48.42\00:38:49.76
on my heart for
you, and you know what?
00:38:49.79\00:38:51.56
That could be the voice of God
00:38:51.59\00:38:52.93
coming through
someone else sharing.
00:38:52.96\00:38:54.80
Very true, very
true. Absolutely.
00:38:54.83\00:38:56.56
As a matter of fact
in a corporate sense
00:38:56.60\00:38:58.27
when the majority of the church
00:38:58.30\00:39:00.00
is listening to the
voice of God, worship happens.
00:39:00.04\00:39:03.41
Do you ever wonder how people
00:39:03.44\00:39:04.77
from so many
different backgrounds
00:39:04.81\00:39:06.14
view life so
differently could come together
00:39:06.17\00:39:08.44
and have unity
and peace and worship?
00:39:08.48\00:39:10.98
I have prepared sermons
00:39:11.01\00:39:13.11
and I say, "Lord, I don't know
00:39:13.15\00:39:14.98
what Your people
need to hear today
00:39:15.02\00:39:16.82
or this weekend but You do
and please put this together."
00:39:16.85\00:39:22.26
He puts a message in my heart,
I put the message out on paper
00:39:22.29\00:39:26.43
and then I open up my quarterly
00:39:26.46\00:39:28.53
and discover the
Sabbath School lesson
00:39:28.56\00:39:30.17
is the exact same theme.
00:39:30.20\00:39:32.60
Then someone comes
into special music,
00:39:32.63\00:39:35.34
they sing a song that is
right in tune with the theme.
00:39:35.37\00:39:38.14
Someone does a children story
00:39:38.17\00:39:39.51
and it fits
right in with the theme
00:39:39.54\00:39:41.11
and none of us had a
conversation beforehand.
00:39:41.14\00:39:43.85
So when the voice of God
is in control of His church,
00:39:43.88\00:39:46.68
there's unity.
00:39:46.72\00:39:48.05
I think about when
we no longer have sin
00:39:48.08\00:39:51.15
and we're spending eternity
with God and pre-impose sin,
00:39:51.19\00:39:55.16
everyone was
listening to the voice of God.
00:39:55.19\00:39:58.03
Self was crucified and God was,
His voice was driving things.
00:39:58.06\00:40:04.43
And that's all He's
calling us to again as a church
00:40:04.47\00:40:07.04
is to allow that to happen,
00:40:07.07\00:40:08.67
and He's going
to work through us
00:40:08.70\00:40:11.54
as we allow it to actually have
00:40:11.57\00:40:14.74
transformational
effects on others.
00:40:14.78\00:40:16.58
It's a blessing for
us as it blesses others.
00:40:16.61\00:40:19.25
But the voice of God must reign
supreme in the Christian's life
00:40:19.28\00:40:23.49
and that's when we see
00:40:23.52\00:40:25.25
mountains move and we see
the hand of God in everything.
00:40:25.29\00:40:28.22
Amen. Well said, well said.
00:40:28.26\00:40:30.33
You know, yesterday,
00:40:30.36\00:40:31.89
no, just a couple
of days ago I guess,
00:40:31.93\00:40:33.90
on Sabbath, Pastor
John Lomacang was preaching
00:40:33.93\00:40:37.07
and I'm always
blessed when he ministers
00:40:37.10\00:40:39.83
but for some reason
00:40:39.87\00:40:41.20
this Sabbath I was
especially ministered to.
00:40:41.24\00:40:43.84
And Greg and I were
sitting there in the pew
00:40:43.87\00:40:46.37
and all of a
sudden he shared something
00:40:46.41\00:40:50.38
that as soon as he
spoke it was just like,
00:40:50.41\00:40:53.05
I don't know how
else to explain it,
00:40:53.08\00:40:54.52
it was just as if each word
00:40:54.55\00:40:56.65
just went
straight into my heart...
00:40:56.69\00:41:01.59
and it was what I needed.
00:41:01.62\00:41:03.49
Now, he didn't know I was
struggling with something,
00:41:03.53\00:41:06.59
he didn't know there
was an issue in my life
00:41:06.63\00:41:09.16
and then as
soon as he said that,
00:41:09.20\00:41:11.63
the Holy Spirit said,
00:41:11.67\00:41:13.00
"Jill, that is what
you're dealing with."
00:41:13.03\00:41:14.90
Well, I didn't even
know what I was dealing with.
00:41:14.94\00:41:16.87
I didn't even know
what the issue was,
00:41:16.91\00:41:18.97
I just knew there
was something going on
00:41:19.01\00:41:20.88
but I couldn't identify it.
00:41:20.91\00:41:23.04
And when he spoke,
the Holy Spirit used him.
00:41:23.08\00:41:25.31
Yes.
00:41:25.35\00:41:26.68
And the Holy Spirit
spoke conviction to my heart.
00:41:26.72\00:41:30.12
And then I can go
back and say, "Oh Father,
00:41:30.15\00:41:32.19
thank You for
showing me what's in my heart
00:41:32.22\00:41:35.59
and I repent of that.
00:41:35.62\00:41:37.59
And I ask that
you would cleanse me,
00:41:37.63\00:41:40.20
give me clean hands,
as Mollie always says,
00:41:40.23\00:41:42.26
and a pure heart.
00:41:42.30\00:41:44.20
And so praise the
Lord, He uses each one of us
00:41:44.23\00:41:47.37
to speak a word
into someone else's life.
00:41:47.40\00:41:49.67
Amen.
00:41:49.70\00:41:51.04
Life has convicted
me of the following.
00:41:51.07\00:41:53.01
One that if you are willing
to be led and used of God,
00:41:53.04\00:41:58.85
He is more willing
to lead you and use you
00:41:58.88\00:42:02.08
than you are to be used and led.
00:42:02.12\00:42:05.22
He is very willing to give you
00:42:05.25\00:42:07.72
and quite able to
give you good gifts
00:42:07.76\00:42:09.56
and to direct your steps.
00:42:09.59\00:42:12.69
2 Corinthians 8 tells us,
00:42:12.73\00:42:14.46
"First there must
be a willing mind."
00:42:14.50\00:42:17.17
So before you
even ask to be directed
00:42:17.20\00:42:19.83
or to be used or to
be led, you have to say,
00:42:19.87\00:42:23.30
"I am willing to
be directed and led."
00:42:23.34\00:42:26.17
And that opens the way for
God to lead and to use you.
00:42:26.21\00:42:31.15
A pastor came to
the pulpit with a mind
00:42:31.18\00:42:33.62
that was willing
to be used and led.
00:42:33.65\00:42:37.22
And so we know one person
00:42:37.25\00:42:39.52
that he was used to
bless and that was you.
00:42:39.55\00:42:42.22
And of course, there
were many, many others
00:42:42.26\00:42:43.93
in that congregation.
00:42:43.96\00:42:46.33
So if you want to
know the will of God,
00:42:46.36\00:42:49.30
God wants you to know His will.
00:42:49.33\00:42:51.57
He is not trying to
keep anything from you.
00:42:51.60\00:42:53.40
What is it?
00:42:53.44\00:42:54.77
Amos 3 says, "Surely
the Lord will do nothing."
00:42:54.80\00:42:57.31
And, of course, that's
talking about big things
00:42:57.34\00:42:59.21
but even in little things,
00:42:59.24\00:43:00.68
in little should
I go should I not,
00:43:00.71\00:43:03.01
should I spend
this, should I save it,
00:43:03.04\00:43:04.75
should I stay home and wait,
00:43:04.78\00:43:06.45
you know, or
should I go to the store,
00:43:06.48\00:43:08.68
even in those little
things God is willing to...
00:43:08.72\00:43:10.65
I don't think there is
anything that comes against us
00:43:10.69\00:43:13.66
or that we deal with that
is beneath the notice of God.
00:43:13.69\00:43:16.06
Amen.
00:43:16.09\00:43:17.43
He is as willing to be involved
00:43:17.46\00:43:18.79
in as intimate of
the details of your life
00:43:18.83\00:43:22.23
as you're willing to
allow Him to be involved
00:43:22.26\00:43:24.13
in those
intimate little details.
00:43:24.17\00:43:25.73
"Where are my keys?"
00:43:25.77\00:43:27.17
God cares about that.
00:43:27.20\00:43:28.87
"I got to get to work,
I need to find my keys.
00:43:28.90\00:43:31.24
Lord, I need to find my
keys," you'll find you keys.
00:43:31.27\00:43:34.04
You know, He's...
00:43:34.08\00:43:35.74
And the thing is
and I say this quickly,
00:43:35.78\00:43:37.78
if you are
accustomed to bringing the Lord
00:43:37.81\00:43:39.35
into your life into
little things like keys,
00:43:39.38\00:43:41.75
when the big stuff
comes, like you go to the doctor
00:43:41.78\00:43:43.82
and the doctor
says, "That's cancer,"
00:43:43.85\00:43:45.62
or the doctor says, "We
don't know what that is,
00:43:45.65\00:43:47.62
we don't know how to treat it."
00:43:47.66\00:43:49.12
You don't lose your
religion or your mind
00:43:49.16\00:43:52.49
because you've been
walking with the Lord
00:43:52.53\00:43:54.20
over those little things
00:43:54.23\00:43:55.56
so when the big stuff
comes you know where God is,
00:43:55.60\00:43:57.73
you want to go searching.
00:43:57.77\00:43:59.10
It's too late to go
find God in the rainy storm.
00:43:59.13\00:44:02.27
You find God in the sunshiny day
00:44:02.30\00:44:04.51
so that when the storm
comes and the lights are out
00:44:04.54\00:44:06.91
and there's
nobody to direct you,
00:44:06.94\00:44:08.44
you walk that path...
00:44:08.48\00:44:11.21
I am a male over 50.
00:44:11.25\00:44:14.25
I get up at night and go
several times to the restroom,
00:44:14.28\00:44:18.19
happens when you get over 50.
00:44:18.22\00:44:19.99
I never put on a light.
00:44:20.02\00:44:21.86
First of all, it disturbs Irma,
so I get up and I know the way.
00:44:21.89\00:44:24.69
I don't bump into anything
00:44:24.73\00:44:26.06
unless there's
something there that God left.
00:44:26.09\00:44:27.43
I know how to go
into the bathroom
00:44:27.46\00:44:28.80
do what I have to
do, wash my hands,
00:44:28.83\00:44:30.17
put the towel back and go to bed
00:44:30.20\00:44:31.53
in total darkness, why?
00:44:31.57\00:44:32.93
Because I have radar?
00:44:32.97\00:44:34.30
No, I've done it so many
times, I've worn that path.
00:44:34.34\00:44:37.94
So now when something
comes that I'm not ready for,
00:44:37.97\00:44:41.04
I know where God is.
00:44:41.08\00:44:42.84
I don't have to say,
"Jill, could you show me Jesus?"
00:44:42.88\00:44:45.48
I know Jesus, I can
find Him for myself.
00:44:45.51\00:44:48.18
I've walked that
path during a sunshiny day
00:44:48.22\00:44:50.55
so now that
when the clouds come,
00:44:50.59\00:44:52.15
I can make it there because
I've done it all the time.
00:44:52.19\00:44:54.16
So you bring Him
into the little things
00:44:54.19\00:44:57.16
and then when
the big things come,
00:44:57.19\00:44:58.76
you know the voice
because you've heard that voice
00:44:58.79\00:45:00.43
so many times.
00:45:00.46\00:45:02.53
If we have time I
just want to share too.
00:45:02.56\00:45:04.23
I wonder how
many people missed out
00:45:04.27\00:45:06.33
because they said
no to the voice of God
00:45:06.37\00:45:08.50
to the point where Zachariah,
00:45:08.54\00:45:11.31
they refused to
listen and Zachariah 7:11-13
00:45:11.34\00:45:14.41
and Jeremiah 6:10,
00:45:14.44\00:45:15.84
"Who will
listen," God's pleading.
00:45:15.88\00:45:17.68
Who's going listen to me?"
00:45:17.71\00:45:19.25
It took the Lord five years to
call me to the literature work,
00:45:19.28\00:45:22.82
to be a literature evangelist.
00:45:22.85\00:45:24.29
And I kept saying no,
00:45:24.32\00:45:25.65
I hate salesman,
I don't like them.
00:45:25.69\00:45:27.56
And poor Ron being
the publishing director,
00:45:27.59\00:45:29.29
I come into his office
00:45:29.32\00:45:30.66
and he had one
objection after the other.
00:45:30.69\00:45:32.03
As a matter of fact, after
14 years in literature work
00:45:32.06\00:45:34.80
I never heard anyone else
00:45:34.83\00:45:36.36
use all of the objections
I used on that one man
00:45:36.40\00:45:38.77
trying to get out of the work
that God kept calling me to.
00:45:38.80\00:45:41.54
I had my own ideas
of how it should be done
00:45:41.57\00:45:44.37
and I just kept saying no to God
00:45:44.41\00:45:45.87
but finally I did
it, the Lord blessed.
00:45:45.91\00:45:48.58
He took me on a path
that I would not have chosen
00:45:48.61\00:45:50.65
but it actually prepared
me for what I was about to do.
00:45:50.68\00:45:54.68
He called me to
success, not failure,
00:45:54.72\00:45:57.09
if I just let Him have control.
00:45:57.12\00:45:58.99
What I've learned
over the years is,
00:45:59.02\00:46:01.46
you know, when I
was called to Michigan,
00:46:01.49\00:46:04.73
it was three
times to go to Michigan
00:46:04.76\00:46:07.16
to do the literature
work and I said no twice.
00:46:07.20\00:46:09.60
The third time I decided,
00:46:09.63\00:46:11.57
"Okay, Lord, I
will check into this."
00:46:11.60\00:46:13.74
And when I went to
00:46:13.77\00:46:15.17
the publishing
director's office,
00:46:15.20\00:46:16.60
I said, "I need a
house before I leave,
00:46:16.64\00:46:19.37
a place for us to live."
00:46:19.41\00:46:20.74
If this is God's
call, He'll provide a place.
00:46:20.78\00:46:23.08
Within four hours, I
had a place to move to.
00:46:23.11\00:46:26.41
Then a year later I was
called to Leadership in Illinois
00:46:26.45\00:46:28.88
in 1994.
00:46:28.92\00:46:30.62
In that call I knew
in the heart of hearts
00:46:30.65\00:46:33.66
I had such peace about it,
00:46:33.69\00:46:35.02
this is exactly what
God was calling me to.
00:46:35.06\00:46:36.73
All along I could
see that He had a plan.
00:46:36.76\00:46:39.93
It got to the point now where
this last district I was in,
00:46:39.96\00:46:43.37
we were there 10 years,
00:46:43.40\00:46:44.73
which for an
Adventist pastor is a long term.
00:46:44.77\00:46:47.67
And there were things
that had happened in times
00:46:47.70\00:46:50.11
where I thought,
"Lord, is it time to go,
00:46:50.14\00:46:51.61
is it time to leave?"
00:46:51.64\00:46:53.38
And because I was
getting to the point
00:46:53.41\00:46:55.34
where, yeah, I'm
ready but He wasn't ready.
00:46:55.38\00:46:59.71
Another year, two
years, three years went by.
00:46:59.75\00:47:02.25
And when it was time,
00:47:02.28\00:47:04.75
you know, you
don't, you never wanna say,
00:47:04.79\00:47:06.15
"Yeah, I'll go, bye,"
you know, you wanna say,
00:47:06.19\00:47:08.02
"I'll pray about it."
00:47:08.06\00:47:09.72
And I did pray about
it and I had total peace
00:47:09.76\00:47:12.46
and it was to
come to this district.
00:47:12.49\00:47:14.76
And one of the
thoughts, fleeting thoughts was,
00:47:14.80\00:47:17.33
"Lord, it's kind of
crazy but it just...
00:47:17.37\00:47:21.00
do you really actually
want me to be on 3ABN at all?
00:47:21.04\00:47:23.30
Is that part of Your plan?"
00:47:23.34\00:47:24.67
And here I sit.
00:47:24.71\00:47:26.51
And I've been saying,
00:47:26.54\00:47:28.04
I've been kind of digging
my heels in the whole time
00:47:28.08\00:47:30.95
not wanting to go this direction
00:47:30.98\00:47:32.88
but I realized,
"Lord, if it's you,
00:47:32.91\00:47:34.48
you're gonna give me peace."
00:47:34.52\00:47:36.08
I have learned over the years
00:47:36.12\00:47:37.62
that try to get in
step with the will of God,
00:47:37.65\00:47:40.69
get all those other
voices out, wait on Him.
00:47:40.72\00:47:44.76
It's really bad
when you get behind Him
00:47:44.79\00:47:46.59
and when you get ahead of
Him, you want to be in step.
00:47:46.63\00:47:49.76
And getting in step with God is,
00:47:49.80\00:47:52.10
I think it takes experience
with Him and He's patient,
00:47:52.13\00:47:56.14
He works with us.
00:47:56.17\00:47:57.51
He'll develop that in us
00:47:57.54\00:48:00.38
so that we
actually as Jesus says,
00:48:00.41\00:48:03.78
"He does nothing
00:48:03.81\00:48:05.15
that the Father has
not revealed to Him,"
00:48:05.18\00:48:07.68
His plans are laid out.
00:48:07.72\00:48:09.05
Amen.
00:48:09.08\00:48:10.42
God directs His path
00:48:10.45\00:48:11.79
and that's the
goal I have in my life
00:48:11.82\00:48:13.15
that God directs my path.
00:48:13.19\00:48:14.52
You know, I think you hit
on a very, wonderful point
00:48:14.56\00:48:18.36
and that is wait for peace.
00:48:18.39\00:48:20.76
Don't get ahead of
God, don't get behind God,
00:48:20.80\00:48:23.23
just wait for the peace of
God to empowering your heart,
00:48:23.26\00:48:27.07
to rule in your
heart and then it's time.
00:48:27.10\00:48:29.70
Amen, and that
was the same scripture
00:48:29.74\00:48:31.41
I was thinking of
too, that's incredible.
00:48:31.44\00:48:34.01
As you were sharing, Pastor Tom,
00:48:34.04\00:48:35.38
we're glad that
God brought you here.
00:48:35.41\00:48:37.38
And that's just
a wonderful thing.
00:48:37.41\00:48:38.75
The scripture I was
thinking of is Colossians 3:15,
00:48:38.78\00:48:41.85
"And let the peace of
God rule in your hearts
00:48:41.88\00:48:46.35
to which also you were called
in one body and be thankful."
00:48:46.39\00:48:49.16
Let the peace of
God rule in your hearts.
00:48:49.19\00:48:51.43
I think when Greg and I
were making the decision
00:48:51.46\00:48:54.93
should we move
forward, should we get married,
00:48:54.96\00:48:57.57
that's one of those
pivotal life decisions
00:48:57.60\00:49:00.34
and God had led
and we had peace.
00:49:00.37\00:49:02.54
And then we came to an impasse
like a time of difficulty.
00:49:02.57\00:49:07.84
And I believed one
way about a certain thing
00:49:07.88\00:49:10.51
and He thought something
else and for us it was,
00:49:10.55\00:49:13.75
I'm not talking
scriptural or doctrine,
00:49:13.78\00:49:16.42
all this was just other stuff.
00:49:16.45\00:49:18.35
And he said,
"Well, I don't think
00:49:18.39\00:49:21.46
this is going to work."
00:49:21.49\00:49:22.82
And so we had a long
distance relationship
00:49:22.86\00:49:25.59
then I remember he said,
00:49:25.63\00:49:27.00
"Well, let's pray about it,
Jilly, and see what God does."
00:49:27.03\00:49:31.03
So I went to bed
in Massachusetts,
00:49:31.07\00:49:33.97
he was here in Illinois
00:49:34.00\00:49:35.34
and I remember
praying and saying,
00:49:35.37\00:49:36.71
"God, well, I just
don't see how I can,
00:49:36.74\00:49:39.71
and I surrendered,
God, I don't want my will,
00:49:39.74\00:49:43.18
I want Your will
in this situation."
00:49:43.21\00:49:46.15
And there were two issues,
00:49:46.18\00:49:47.98
so the one issue
say the first issue
00:49:48.02\00:49:49.78
he changed my
viewpoint entirely God did.
00:49:49.82\00:49:53.19
And after I was through praying,
00:49:53.22\00:49:55.62
I knew instantly Greg was right
00:49:55.66\00:49:57.83
and I needed to
yield on this point.
00:49:57.86\00:50:00.63
But interestingly enough,
on the other point I felt like,
00:50:00.66\00:50:03.87
"No, that was right and I
still needed to hold to that."
00:50:03.90\00:50:06.87
Well, the next
morning Greg called me
00:50:06.90\00:50:08.77
and he said, "Well,
Jilly, I prayed and I have peace
00:50:08.80\00:50:12.01
over these issues
and this is how I feel."
00:50:12.04\00:50:14.31
So the issue God
had changed me on
00:50:14.34\00:50:16.88
Greg still held to
and he felt firmly about.
00:50:16.91\00:50:19.68
But the issue where I
was still holding firmly
00:50:19.71\00:50:22.18
Greg said, "Oh, God
changed my mind on that."
00:50:22.22\00:50:24.75
And I view the other way around.
00:50:24.79\00:50:26.89
So to me we knew then
when we had that assurance
00:50:26.92\00:50:31.13
and that peace that
then you can move forward.
00:50:31.16\00:50:33.80
So I think any time
we're facing those decisions
00:50:33.83\00:50:36.30
to know that if we are
walking in step with Jesus,
00:50:36.33\00:50:40.94
in line with Him
we have that peace
00:50:40.97\00:50:43.77
that comes from above.
00:50:43.81\00:50:45.14
Amen. Well said.
00:50:45.17\00:50:46.51
In Matthew 11 the
Lord tells us that...
00:50:46.54\00:50:50.15
He hides some things
from those who are wise
00:50:50.18\00:50:53.31
in their own sight and
reveals them to children
00:50:53.35\00:50:56.32
which says to me that
understanding the will of God
00:50:56.35\00:50:59.15
is not a matter of
intellect or wisdom
00:50:59.19\00:51:01.22
or even acquired knowledge.
00:51:01.26\00:51:02.82
It's a matter of having
childlike faith and trust
00:51:02.86\00:51:05.93
to do and accept
whatever God shows you to do.
00:51:05.96\00:51:08.40
And Ellen White
buttresses this by saying that,
00:51:08.43\00:51:11.23
"Our effectiveness in the world
00:51:11.27\00:51:12.67
is not a matter of
us making a big noise,"
00:51:12.70\00:51:14.94
and she used that
term, a big noise.
00:51:14.97\00:51:16.77
"Our effectiveness and
hearing the voice of God
00:51:16.81\00:51:19.47
and carrying out the will of God
00:51:19.51\00:51:21.24
is in direct
proportion to our surrender
00:51:21.28\00:51:24.08
to the Holy Spirit."
00:51:24.11\00:51:25.61
So your mind has
to be surrendered,
00:51:25.65\00:51:27.78
your heart has
to be surrendered,
00:51:27.82\00:51:29.55
all that you are
within has to be surrendered.
00:51:29.58\00:51:32.45
And if you want to
hear the voice of God
00:51:32.49\00:51:34.79
and are willing to
follow that voice when heard,
00:51:34.82\00:51:37.56
you will hear the voice of God
00:51:37.59\00:51:39.36
and the Lord will be more than
pleased to direct your steps.
00:51:39.39\00:51:43.33
We're gonna go to
our news break now,
00:51:43.37\00:51:44.70
then we'll come back,
put a little bow on this
00:51:44.73\00:51:46.43
with some closing thoughts.
00:51:46.47\00:51:48.64